Bits and Bytes 2018: Computer science summer camp for middle school girls at Eastern Michigan University offers expanded programming in second year
Girls to learn programming skills, develop career perspective during weeklong camp
YPSILANTI – Following a successful first year at Eastern Michigan University, the Bits & Bytes summer camp for girls will return this month, from June 25-29 in the Pray Harrold Building.
Bits & Bytes is a week-long summer computing camp for middle school girls, provided under the supervision of Krish Narayanan, an Eastern professor of computer science. The camp provides a fun and supportive environment for girls to explore what the field has to offer. The program includes interactive lectures, hands-on activities, technical workshops on Scratch, AppInventor, and Arduino robots.
Participants also work in small teams on projects using these educational tools and participate in a Mockathon at the end of the week. The camp culminates with a closing ceremony that includes a guest talk, an EMU alumni panel, and awards. This year, the camp organizers are excited to offer a field trip to Google and the Digital Media Commons at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor.
The camp’s sponsor, National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), connects high school and college women with K-12 girls interested in computing. Using a near-peer model, computing students teach younger girls fundamentals in programming and computational thinking in fun, creative environments. The funding for the camp comes from NCWIT’s AspireIT program, through a grant secured by Preethi Narayanan, the camp leader. Narayanan, a graduating senior at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, received the 2017 NCWIT Michigan Affiliate Award for Aspirations in Computing.
The camp staff includes students and faculty from the computer science department.
“The student-faculty relationship helps with mentoring of technical professionals, increases young women’s confidence in their computing abilities, and develops valuable leadership skills,” said Narayanan.
The cost for the camp is $50, and need-based scholarships are available. For more information or to get on the waitlist for this year’s camp, visit the Bits and Bytes program page.
About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.
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