Explores - Champlain College

| VIEW FROM THE HILL |ACT CLASSBy Molly F. McGill ’05Technologyfor ’TweensPhotographs by Stephen MeaseTechno-savvy students are a common sight on theChamplain College campus. One day this pastNovember, however, their average age appeared todrop—by 10 years or so.The occasion was “Kids in Technology and Science” (KITS),an innovative program designed by the College’s Dean of theDivision of Information Technology & Sciences (ITS) AliRafieymehr to spark interest in the fields among youth. Some 85children participated, representing several area schools — JohnF. Kennedy Elementary School in Winooski, Winooski MiddleSchool, Edmunds Middle School, and South Burlington MiddleSchool. On hand to teach the young technology learners were 20Champlain College students.The KITS event kicked off at 8:30 a.m., when children andtheir teachers arrived for an introductory breakfast before beingsplit into groups of 10. Working with two Champlain Collegestudents as instructors, each group received a brief lesson in AliceProgramming Software, a computer animation and programmingsoftware widely used among schools in the U.S. Midway throughthe morning, students and their college mentors switched gearsand began building computers from the base up, using newcomponents to show the youngsters all that goes into the machinesand how it all works.“It was great to see the finished computer on the table with allthe students’ names written in silver gel pen on the tower,” saysNate Converse ’12, a Software Engineering major from Hamden,Massachusetts. “When we went back to programming, I taughtmy group about function calls and parameters. It was great to seetheir army of samurai marching successfully across the screen!”The KITS program allowed Champlain Students to assumeleadership roles and gain valuable teaching experience, buildingconfidence that they can take into the field. Viktor Jagar ’12, aSoftware Engineering major from Williston, Vermont, also usedthe mentoring opportunity to show that the computer industry’snerdy reputation wasn’t necessarily accurate—and that even atechnology whiz can be involved in such popular activities assnowboarding and soccer.Rafieymehr ran a similar program for three years at Western NewEngland College before joining the Champlain College faculty in2008. He has seen first-hand the importance of creating an interestin technology and science among younger students, especiallyfemales who typically have a weak enrollment rate in college ITSprograms—something he hopes to improve through KITS.“Across the country, there is a need for trained and educatedpeople in technology and science,” Rafieymehr says. “The collegeenrollment rate in these fields has either dropped or stayed flatwhen the numbers should have gone up based on the increasedneed. It is important for educators to create opportunities foryounger students to become interested in technology and sciencesso that they pursue advanced education in those areas.”The fun-filled day ended with an animation competitionamong the various groups, with their self-made computersbeing donated to the participating schools. “The ones who wentwere just thrilled by the day and were very proud to bring backmachines that they built themselves to go into their classrooms,”recalls Mary Woodruff, principal of Winooski Middle School.“We’ll absolutely participate again.”—with additional reporting by Stephen MeaseChamplain View | Spring 09 3