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Tech Clubs Brighten Futures
on April 30, 2009
As students aim for careers of the future, school technology clubs -– once filled with children of scientists and engineers -– have been attracting more students from disadvantaged homes, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
These clubs give students access to ideas and projects they might not have otherwise. At Horizon Middle School in Kissimmee, Fla., about 66 percent of the students get lunch for free or at a reduced price. At Polk County's Boone Middle School in Haines City, Fla., this number is nearly 90 percent. Many students come from single-parent homes; few of their parents went to college, and many work in the service industry.
But, teachers say, the tech clubs give students a glimpse of future possibilities. For example, at Horizon, a students' project could help "police and emergency medical responders distinguish between a person on drugs and one suffering from schizophrenia." Other students are working on projects to protect the environment.
"It's a vehicle, in that respect, showing the kids what they could be," said Kevin Sandridge, Boone's technology teacher, who oversees the club. "We're trying to prepare kids today for jobs that haven't been invented yet."
For the complete story, visit the Orlando Sentinel.
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