Students at Berry Elementary love the newly implemented “TECHie Club” after school program, which allows them supplemental access and exposure to computers in an environment where technology can be limited. TECHie Club is a program initiated by TECH CORPS Texas utilizing a holistic approach to preparing tomorrow’s technologically literate workforce by nurturing and supporting elementary students today.
This focused and collaborative effort takes place with the help of volunteer instructors. Throughout the year, students in grades 3-5 gather on Mondays and Fridays in the computer lab for an hour-long session sharing a common interest in computers. Not surprising, at this level, a student’s enthusiasm can often be frustrated by a lack of essential computer skills, such as typing, and a basic understanding of how computers work.
TECHie Club addresses these developmental learning challenges in an after-school program that is both educational and fun. Roughly 25 Berry Elementary students participate in TECHie Club’s interactive curriculum, which is specifically designed for students in grades 3-5, and focuses on the fundamentals of computer programming, informatics, and digital media. Students also learn to use the Internet as a tool, and with adult supervision, begin to self select programming and information that is safe, useful and relevant to their learning goals.
TECHie Clubbers learn skills that help them succeed in the classroom, and ultimately to succeed in a technologically-driven workplace. Students are introduced to exciting and varied career opportunities in the technology industry, and become aware firsthand that even basic typing skills are a necessary requirement for almost every job. By dramatically increasing their exposure to computers and the World Wide Web, we hope to encourage the students of Berry Elementary to boot up and harness the power of technology to grow and develop their future education and career opportunities.
