The South End :: WSU technology camp inspires students

The Wayne State Department of Computer Science kicked off its annual Computer Technology Summer Camps July 9, in which youth ranging from ages 9 to 18 gathered in State Hall and the Science and Engineering Library to participate in a variety of camp activities from which they learned various aspects of computing and technology. This hands-on, three-week-long camp will conclude with a celebration lunch July 26 during which the participants will showcase what they have done and learned.

Department Chair Seymour J. Wolfson said the camp is a way for students to get hands-on experience with computers at an early age.

?It?s important for young kids to learn early and get a hands-on view of computer programming and website building,? Wolfson said.

He said some of the things the camp participants do are learn how websites are built, build android phone applications and create computer games. Wolfson said he hopes that during the camp, the youth will see that this is something they can take with them in their careers, even possibly attending WSU to earn their degrees.

The camp offers six smaller camp sessions for attendees to choose from, depending on their age. These sessions include Creating Android Phone Apps, Creating Technological Toys, Creating Animations and Movies, Explorations in Robotics, Web Technology and Explorations in Computer Gaming.

Camp attendees said they are enjoying themselves in their interactive sessions.

?There?s so much depth in what we do, and we get to create our own programs,? Parker Griffith said. ?We?re learning to do things we normally wouldn?t know how to do.?

Griffith said his dream job is to be a video game designer, and he is glad to be learning how to design different kinds of computer programs in his camp session.

Cass Technical High School sophomore Antonia Crews is another youth attending the camp who said she has found it enjoyable.

?My favorite part of the camp is learning how to make movies and animations,? Crews said. ?I want to be a prosthetic engineer, so this camp is helping me learn how to use different types of software.?

Graduate students of the computer science department take on the role of camp instructors. Each camp also has assistants who are either high school graduates from the greater Detroit area or high school seniors.

This is the eighth year the camps have taken place on the university?s campus, and, Wolfson said, the program has experienced much growth since the beginning.

?When we first started, only four students attended,? Wolfson said. ?Last year about 70 youth attended, and this year 80 students have registered.?

The camp meets Monday through Thursday for three weeks. There are no particular qualifications for registering. All interested students between ages 9 and 18 may register and choose one of the six camps they desire to attend, and registration fees include all supplies.

Source: http://thesouthend.wayne.edu/article/2012/07/wsu_tech_camp_inspires_students

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