WESTCHESTER, Ill.- Being introduced to coding lights the spark. Applying what you have learned to build an animation creates the dream. Visiting a college campus and being exposed to careers that use coding skills can change that dream into a goal.
University of Illinois Extension is partnering with the Village of Maywood, District 89, and 14 other organizations to provide a unique learning opportunity for west suburban Cook County middle and high school students. The Maywood-West Cook Exploring Career & Life Readiness Initiative is envisioned as a more complete approach to learning.
Over six weeks, youth explore multiple career paths; receive technical training, including computer and financial literacy; and develop essential life skills, such as leadership, self-management, and responsible decision-making. To complete the learning experience, students take field trips to meet, interact, and learn from people working in the careers they investigated in class.
“West suburban Cook County is home to some of the brightest and most ambitious students. We owe it to the youth to set them up for success,” says Constance Willis, Illinois Extension SNAP-Ed Educator serving Cook County.
Members of Illinois Extension in Cook County’s 4-H Youth Development and SNAP-Ed teams collaborated to provide age-appropriate life and career readiness and health and nutrition workshops for the program’s Agriculture and Science component.
The middle school segment, for example, begins with a discussion about computer science careers. Followed by a fun and creative coding activity where youth re-design and animate the Google logo. The final component is a field trip to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus to experience robot building and learn about drones.
One youth stated that while STEM was not for her because she wants to be a pediatrician, she enjoyed learning a new skill.
Ninety young people have registered for the program. Classes meet three days a week, for three hours, with field trips on the weekend. The three six-week cohorts will run January-October.
ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.
WRITER: Michael Neil, Marketing and Communication Coordinator, Illinois Extension
SOURCE: Constance Willis, SNAP-Ed Educator, Illinois Extension
SOURCE: Latosha Reggans, 4-H Youth Development and Metro Educator, Illinois Extension
SOURCE: Chanita Anderson, 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator, Illinois Extension