{"id":196760,"date":"2024-05-02T09:08:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T19:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=196760"},"modified":"2024-05-03T09:52:10","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T19:52:10","slug":"icspark-courses-for-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/05\/02\/icspark-courses-for-students\/","title":{"rendered":"<abbr>UH<\/abbr> team uses computer science projects to &lsquo;spark&rsquo; interest in young minds"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><div class=\"responsive-video-wrap-post\"><figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe  id=\"_ytid_50286\"  width=\"676\" height=\"676\"  data-origwidth=\"676\" data-origheight=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O9JUPZkf8wU?enablejsapi=1&origin=https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu&rel=0&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"Â鶹´«Ã½team uses computer science projects to \u2018spark\u2019 interest in young minds\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n<p>An information and computer sciences degree is the ticket to some of the nation\u2019s fastest growing occupations. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/ooh\/fastest-growing.htm\">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a>, data scientists (35&#37; growth rate), information security analysts (32&#37;), software developers (26&#37;) and computer and information research scientists (23&#37;) are four of the top 13 booming jobs projected for 2022&#8211;32.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_196761\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-196761\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-huo-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"person pointing to a computer screen while others look on\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-196761\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-huo-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-huo-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-huo.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-196761\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tim Huo is one of the mentors for the ICSpark courses.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To help train and inspire the next generation of computer scientists, a team of students from the University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ics.hawaii.edu\/\">Department of Information and Computer Sciences<\/a> (<abbr>ICS<\/abbr>) hosted a series of web development courses for students in grades 6&#8211;12, held every Saturday this spring from 9 a.m. to noon on the <abbr title=\"University of Hawaii\">UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa campus and online via Zoom. Approximately 50 students were registered for the course series.<\/p>\n<p>The classes explored web languages (<abbr title=\"Hypertext Markup Language\">HTML<\/abbr>, <abbr title=\"Cascading Style Sheets\">CSS<\/abbr> and JavaScript) and coding concepts, which are fundamental in web development to create and design web pages. The goal of the series was to foster interest in computer science through project-based learning and peer mentorship.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I want to do something science related like maybe for the medical field&#8212;I want to be like the tech people behind the scenes who do all the double checking if all machines are working and other stuff. If it&#8217;s computer science, I want to do maybe cybersecurity,&rdquo; said Keani Lee, a 7th grader at Stevenson Middle School. &ldquo;This program gives me a preview into what I could learn in college and in high school if I pursue it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_196763\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-196763\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-group-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"people looking at computer monitors\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-196763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-group-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-group-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-group.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-196763\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Approximately 50 students signed up for the spring 2024 ICSpark series.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The course series consisted of hands-on lessons and will culminate in final presentations on May 5 at Entrepreneurs Sandbox in <span aria-label=\"Kakaako\">Kaka&#699;ako<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/hitorch-showcase\">Those interested in attending are asked to <abbr>RSVP<\/abbr><\/a>. The student mentors are part of a group called <a href=\"https:\/\/icspark.github.io\/\">ICSpark<\/a>, a <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa registered independent organization.<\/p>\n<p>Coleman Lau, a senior at Kaiser High School, said being in this program has motivated him to attend <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa and study computer science.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I would definitely recommend joining ICSpark,&rdquo; Lau said. &ldquo;Even if you are still looking for something to be passionate about, then this is definitely a good place to find that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This is the fifth year that ICSpark has offered these courses. ICSpark is part of <a href=\"https:\/\/hitorch.org\/\">Technology Outreach Hawaii<\/a>, a 501c3 non-profit organization promoting technology education in <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_196764\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-196764\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-tim-huo-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"person headshot\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-196764\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-tim-huo-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-tim-huo-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/manoa-ics-icspark-workshops-tim-huo.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-196764\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tim Huo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;The main goal is to use technology and combine it with their personal interests,&rdquo; said ICSpark President and <abbr>ICS<\/abbr> graduate student Timothy Huo. &ldquo;We have students creating websites about baking goods, to their favorite sports teams, and just combining their technology skills and their creativity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Huo says enrolling in this program helps students get a jump start in computer science, which is important for a wide variety of fields.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our program provides more insight into what computer science has to offer,&rdquo; Huo said. &ldquo;When I was in middle and high school figuring out what I wanted to be, I was looking at broad fields, but I didn\u2019t really know what they did day to day. ICSpark provides that answer. We discuss what software engineers do and computer science students do on a daily basis.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>ICSpark plans to continue offering the workshop series in spring 2025. Registration is expected to begin in late 2024. <a href=\"https:\/\/icspark.github.io\/index.html\">Check the ICSpark website for updates<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is housed in <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/natsci.manoa.hawaii.edu\/\">College of Natural Sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;By <em>Marc Arakaki<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The goal of the series was to foster interest in computer science through project-based learning and peer mentorship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[308,541,484,1466,568,9],"class_list":["post-196760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-college-of-natural-sciences","tag-computer-science","tag-information-and-computer-science","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-natural-science","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=196760"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196760\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":196795,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196760\/revisions\/196795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=196760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=196760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}