As a not-for-profit partially funded by the Department of Education, the AIM Institute provides free tech education to students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience it. To that end, AIM staff accompanied 37 Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson High School students on an educational field trip to Minnesota last week as part of AIM’s Upward Bound program, which helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in their precollege performance.
On Friday, students headed to Minneapolis to visit the University of Minnesota. They attended an admissions presentation and went on a scavenger hunt.
Tanya Jacha, director of Upward Bound programs at Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson high schools in Council Bluffs, said the experience was eye-opening for students, familiarizing them with a college environment and teaching them how to navigate a university campus. The scavenger hunt also gave students practice with the invaluable skill of asking questions.
Jacha said: “A lot of my students asked me, ‘Is it okay if we ask people for help?’ That’s the point. We want you to learn how to do that.”
The group then headed north to Duluth, where they stayed the night at Edgewater Resort, a combination hotel and waterpark.
The following morning, students visited Split Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior. They learned about historic shipwrecks and the importance of the lighthouse, as well as the evolution of the technology controlling the lighthouse, and the limitations posed by the curvature of the earth to visible light distance.
“It was pretty cool to learn the tech behind that,” Jacha said. “And Lake Superior was incredible. It was absolutely beautiful.”
The students then took a Science cruise around the shore of Lake Superior, learning about the lake’s hydrology. Because the AIM Institute is passionate about tech education, students even got a private tour with the ship’s captain to learn about radar and navigational instruments.
Following the cruise, the group visited the Great Lakes Aquarium, where they learned about local fish and rivers. They even got to touch freshwater sharks and see some electric eels (which they did not touch).
On Sunday morning, the final day of the trip, the group returned to Minneapolis and toured the Science Museum of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Jacha said that, unlike a lot of Science museums, which are geared more toward younger kids, the Science Museum of Minnesota targets high school students and adults, featuring attractions like virtual reality and other hands-on science and technology activities.
Ultimately, the trip gave students valuable cultural experiences and tech education they would not have had otherwise, thereby furthering AIM’s mission to grow, connect and inspire the tech talent ecosystem.
Moreover, students had the chance to travel far from home—itself a vital developmental experience they would not have experienced without AIM’s help.
“A lot of the students have never been anywhere outside of Council Bluffs, so it was nice to be excited about something other than silos,” Jacha said.
The 16th annual AIM Heartland Developers Conference drew over 700 attendees to Omaha last week and covered a range of topics relevant to the modern developer in 45 breakout sessions, 3 keynote speeches, multiple hands-on workshops and a panel discussion.
Technical presentations on trending topics such as machine learning, data hierarchy and regional cloud automation coincided with softer-skill discussions of emotional intelligence, leadership and avoiding job burnout.
The conference launched with a keynote speech by Arun Giri, AVP Lead Engineer-Enterprise Architect of Union Pacific. Giri discussed the engineering challenges caused by Union Pacific migrating from a monolithic, mainframe-based transportation-control system to a more modern system based on microservices.
Other keynotes included Principal Business Consultant for Roan Associates Consulting Rodney Verhoeff’s speech on emotional intelligence, and Pinata.cloud CEO Kyle Tut’s presentation on blockchain technology.
Breakout sessions offered attendees the chance to dive deep into specialized topics.
Amy Sand, a front-end developer for Fusion Medical Staffing, found Bryan Trogdon’s “Let’s Talk Conversation Design” the most interesting session she attended. Conversation Design is a design language based on human conversation and is forecast to play an increasing role in business development.
“By 2020, 50 percent of companies will be conversation-first instead of mobile-first, so I think it’s interesting to start brainstorming ways we can bring that into our current development,” Sand said.
Students and professionals mingled with representatives from 40 businesses recruiting for tech talent.
Ben Eisenberger, a Full Stack student at a local code school, said he came to network, ask questions and gather insights from industry experts. His favorite presentation was Sam Kirkland’s breakout session, “How Buildertrend Is Migrating a Million Lines of Code to React.”
For attendees, the chance to meet with a wide range of recruiters was a significant benefit of HDC.
“I’m kind of at this crossroads with what programming language do I want to learn next, and what do I really want to do,” said web developer, digital marketer and UX designer Patrick John Stevens.
“It’s like having a whole bunch of mini-job interviews with no pressure,” Stevens said.
Playing off the HDC theme of Out of the Woods, Thursday’s lunchtime panel discussion Not Out of the Woods Yet: Women in Tech addressed ways to make technology a more inclusive place for women. Levi Thiele, Vice President of Program & Resource Development for the AIM Institute, moderated the discussion. Panel speakers included Nancy Williams, Co-Founder & CEO of No More Empty Pots; Susan Courtney, Executive Vice President, Operations, Business Process and Shared Services of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska; and Kate Brown, Vice President & Chief Information Officer of OPPD.
Thiele began by citing a Department of Labor study that found women comprise 57 percent of the professional workforce overall, but only 26 percent of the tech workforce. Moreover, 2 out of 5 women in tech would leave the tech field in less than 5 years, never to return. The most oft-cited reasons? Women felt a sense of social isolation and exhaustion from trying to over-prove themselves on the job.
Panel speakers unanimously stressed the importance of female mentors for women at all stages in their careers. Such mentors can offer invaluable guidance and support.
“It gets exhausting having to prove yourself over and over again,” Williams said. “Know that you’re running your race, and no one else’s.”
Here are some other highlights from the panel discussion.
Brown: “How do we get an environment where people feel welcome and free to be their authentic selves? It’s got to start with the culture that we create.”
Courtney: “Women don’t have to take whatever’s handed to us. I’m a huge proponent of women and girls learning to trust ourselves.”
Williams: “Know what you want. Be clear about what you value and what you want out of life. You’re not going to know everything, but know what resonates with you.”
This year’s HDC featured a gaming room with vintage consoles and old computer games. Participants could take a rest from conference activities and enjoy Super Mario Brothers on the original Nintendo Entertainment System, or navigate the 8-bit world of Space Invaders on the Atari 2600. The room was a big hit with Kiewit’s Antonio Amaya, who spent the conference scouting new tech talent.
“Obviously it’s nostalgic for those of us who are old enough to appreciate the technology from that era,” Amaya said. “But I also think that it’s beneficial for some of the younger generations to get exposure to previous technology, to understand the limitations and how far technology has come in terms of tools and ideas.”
On Thursday evening, attendees packed the Buildertrend headquarters to enjoy a Mesh party sponsored by Deliveron. Attendees played pool, ping-pong, card games, bag toss and foosball while enjoying complimentary drinks and refreshments. The conference’s mascot, Tech Squatch, made an appearance and took selfies with several partygoers.
The conference wrapped up with a prize giveaway, with Tech Squatch distributing gifts to lucky recipients.
Overall, as in previous years, the 2019 AIM HDC was packed with opportunities to learn, network and have fun in the name of tech. Attendees who have come to the conference year after year likened HDC to a college reunion for developers.
“I’ve been in the industry in Omaha itself for a little more than 25 years, so there are a lot of familiar faces here,” Amaya said.
—
Originally published in Silicon Prairie News, Sept. 9, 2019
http://siliconprairienews.com/2019/09/hdc-2019-a-recap/
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 4, 2018
OMAHA – The AIM Institute is hosting an introductory level App Inventor workshop with special guest Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) for middle school and high school students in preparation for the 2019 Congressional App Challenge (CAC). This free workshop will be held Saturday, September 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the seventh floor of the AIM Exchange Building at 1905 Harney St., Omaha, It is open to any student attending middle school or high school in Nebraska’s Second Congressional District.
The App Inventor workshop will help students learn the basic building blocks of coding mobile and computer-based applications. The workshop is one of the AIM Institute’s many educational initiatives designed to grow tomorrow’s tech talent workforce.
“It’s important to spark an early interest in STEM because technology interacts with everything in our daily lives, and its influence will only increase in the future,” said Erin Lasiter, Executive Director of the AIM Brain Exchange, which offers free technology education to youth.
“Moreover, jobs in technology are some of the highest paying jobs out there, which is especially important to help break the cycle of poverty that affects many of the youth in our community,” Lasiter added.
A stronger tech talent workforce is also good for business in Nebraska, making tech education a key interest of Rep. Bacon, who has been promoting the 2019 Congressional App Challenge since taking office.
“Getting our middle and high school students interested in STEM through a fun competitive challenge is exactly what will spur them to pursue a career in these fields,” said Rep. Bacon. “I’m thankful the AIM Institute is hosting this workshop to help students who want to participate in this challenge.”
The Congressional App Challenge is an annual coding competition held to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM. Contestants develop a unique software app for a mobile, web or other computer-based platform. Winners will be invited to attend the annual House of Code award ceremony and STEM convention held in Washington, D.C. and possibly receive other prizes.
To be eligible for the Congressional App Challenge, students must register and submit their completed apps by November 1, 2019 along with a short video demonstration.
Visit www.congressionalappchallenge.us for more details on the CAC, or contact Sam Ficenec at Sam.Ficenec@nullmail.house.gov or 402-938-0300.
To RSVP for Saturday’s event, visit https://baconaim.eventbrite.com.
###
AIM Institute Media Contact: Erin Lasiter
Email: elasiter@nullaimsite1.wpenginepowered.com
Phone: 402-345-5025 ext. 126
Congressman Bacon Media Contact: Danielle Jensen
Email: danielle.jensen@nullmail.house.gov
Phone: 402-938-0300
Last Friday, 18 high school girls graduated from the AIM Institute’s 2019 Cybersleuth Camp in an afternoon ceremony at the AIM Brain Exchange. About 40 people attended the graduation to show their support for the next generation of tech talent.
AIM’s Cybersleuth Camp is a weeklong cybersecurity camp for girls that seeks to raise interest in cybersecurity careers. Funded through the GenCyber program—a joint initiative of the NSA and the National Science Foundation that promotes digital citizenship, safe online behavior, and cybersecurity education—Cybersleuth Camp is a key part of AIM’s mission to grow, connect and inspire the tech talent ecosystem.
Throughout the camp, graduates engaged in a variety of tech activities. They built Raspberry Pi computers (which they were allowed to keep), learned Linux, flew drones, operated robots, built fortresses out of Legos, and took pictures and videos to document the experience. Representatives from the FBI and the NSA gave presentations on cybersecurity complete with sobering statistics and disturbing anecdotes about sexting and human trafficking.
AIM Brain Exchange Executive Director Erin Lasiter praised the girls for their diligence and willingness to learn.
“They dove in and they didn’t give up, even though it was very difficult sometimes,” she said.
AIM’s Instructor of Technology Experiences, Lana Yager, echoed Lasiter’s admiration of the young women.
“Using the Hokey Pokey, we learned algorithms. The girls took all the lines of the song—I think there are about 80 lines—and scrunched it down to five lines,” she said. “These girls are real troopers. We’re really proud of them.”
Zipporah, a student in the camp, said her favorite activity of the week was taking apart computers. She also recognized the increasing relevance of cybersecurity in an ever-evolving world mediated by technology.
“Computer safety is more important to learn nowadays,” she said.
Each graduate received a diploma and the Raspberry Pi computer they had built. The ceremony concluded with cake and lemonade in the Brain Exchange’s Cortex room.
As part of the AIM Institute’s mission to facilitate a more diverse and sustainable tech career pipeline, the AIM Brain Exchange provides free technology education to youth who would not otherwise have the chance to experience it.
Last Friday, 10 students graduated from the Highlander Code Camp, a joint venture between the AIM Institute and the community revitalization organization Seventy Five North. For 7 weeks, students living in or attending school in North Omaha and receiving free or reduced lunch took intensive classes in the fundamentals of web design and development. They learned HTML, CSS, and Javascript with the help of Interface Web School instructor Kent Smotherman. By the end of camp, each student had built their own website.
Over 70 people attended the ceremony at the Highlander Accelerator Building, a community space in North Omaha featuring local businesses, nonprofits, and higher education satellite campuses. Attendees included family members and friends of the graduates, community supporters, and a representative of congressman Don Bacon, who invited graduates to participate in the 2019 Congressional App Challenge, an annual coding competition meant to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM.
Seventy Five North Project Coordinator Kashya Burrell addressed the audience, underscoring the momentous accomplishment Highlander students had achieved.
“Coding is not easy,” Burrell said. “Thank you for helping support the future tech talent community and some of the most creative individuals I have known.”
AIM Brain Exchange Executive Director Erin Lasiter also gave remarks. (The AIM Brain Exchange offers free technology education to youth who would not otherwise have the chance to experience it.)
Lasiter advised students to meet adversity head-on. She incorporated multiple quotes about achievement in her speech.
“You have worked hard these past seven weeks to achieve what you set out to do,” Lasiter said. “We are all so proud of you.”
After receiving their diploma, each student gave a presentation on the website they built, explaining why they made certain choices and what obstacles they had to overcome in developing their site.
Students’ websites were developed on topics ranging from volleyball to photography to Fortnite to the Buffalo Bills.
One student made a touching memorial about his seven-month old niece who lost her life to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. His website integrated photos of his niece with information about SIDS.
In his presentation, he said working on the site offered a reprieve from grief, and that his time in Highlander Code Camp revitalized his worldview.
“Because of various experiences and challenges, I didn’t really care about anything. Now, I’m learning that that’s not the way to go,” he said. “This is not about the past. The future’s ahead of me.”
