A group of Eastern Oregon students took part in the STEP Technology Summer Camp at the InterMountain Education Service District office in Pendleton.
About 30 students and seven student interns from schools across the region are participating in interactive sessions, attending field trips and learning what it’s like to work in the technology field. Different sessions the students have attended included taking apart computers, Google Virtual Reality, CAD and 3D printing, Scratch programming, Sphero lab and more.
“These kids have learned all kinds of different things about technology this week,” said Forrest George, an intern helping at camp. George, a junior at Union High School, said camp is a great time to make new friends and explore different areas in the tech field.
Some of the most popular sessions have been Google VR, where students assembled their own virtual reality cardboard glasses and then used their own phone to view virtual reality apps – everything from the ocean to a haunted house.
Alea Douglas from Ukiah School is also helping with camp. She said it has been awesome to meet the participating students, spend time with other interns and interact with IMESD staff, which makes her more comfortable in her job as an IT intern in her school during the year.
Another intern from Union, Brian Rhyne, has helped lead camp this week and said the students really seem engaged in the activities and enjoying themselves.
“They get to bond with other group members over shared interests, and many times be more inspired to go into the field of technology,” Rhyne. He said camp is a good experience for the IT interns because it helps test their knowledge and put to use the skills they have learned from their IT technology mentors to be able to teach other people.
The students also took field trips to a variety of locations, including Cayuse Technologies, the Oregon State Police crime lab, the Pendleton School District’s P-TECH center, the water treatment plant, Interpath Lab and more.
