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Board of Directors

Steve Bowers Velocity Park

Bob Byrne MartinWren, LLC

Blake DeMaso Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine

Nancy Deutsch University of Virginia

Mark Giles

Kevin Kurzendoerfer RelayFoods

Colin Learmonth BNSI, Inc.

Rob McNamara Farmington Country Club

Steve McNaughton Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc.

Meredith Richards Director Emeritus

Chris Walmsley, C4K President HelioSage Energy

C4K recently offered a 4-week Saturday Morning Video Game Design

Class. Students created their own video games and entered the games

into the National STEM Video Game Challenge Contest for middle

school students. The workshop was team taught by Teen Tech Lab

Manager Allison Starks and volunteer Kim Wilkens. Eighteen students

completed the class, and both educators were impressed with

the students’ enthusiasm. While the chance to win a laptop was

an enticing draw to enter the competition, students also found that

creating, playing, and watching others play their video game was

very exciting. Miss Allison said, “Their engagement and motivation

was highly encouraging to us. When students gave feedback on what

they would change about the class, they asked for more time!”

The contest had a deadline, but fortunately there is no end to the

computer programming that students can learn at C4K.

The contest was inspired by the “Educate to Innovate” campaign,

President Obama’s initiative to place a renewed focus on Science,

Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. It was launched

in partnership with Digital Promise, a new initiative created by Congress

and the President, and supported by the Department of Education.

The initiative is designed to “unlock the promise of breakthrough

technologies to transform teaching and learning.” STEM subjects

are the most critical for success in the 21st Century Workforce, and yet

U.S. students are falling significantly behind in these areas. C4K is doing

our part to help close the gap.

What do video games have to do with STEM education? Everything!

Video game design is a great way to motivate students to learn

programming, increase their problem-solving abilities, and develop

higher order thinking skills. Experts recognize that game-based learning is one of the most promising areas

of innovation in making STEM subjects appealing to youth. Our students created their games using either Scratch

or Gamestar Mechanic, free software available online. (continued on Page 2)

More than a Game… C4K Students Learn Programming Skills and Enter National Video Game Contest

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VOLUME 8: NUMBER 2

“The STEM competition sent an important

message to our students: not only can

you become computer programmers, but

there is an entire competition for you to

share your product.”

– Miss Allison

DID YOU KNOW?

Science, Technology, Engineering and

Math (STEM) subjects are the most

critical for success in the 21st Century

Workforce, and yet U.S. students are

falling significantly behind the rest of

the world. Middle school is a critical

time to inspire students’ interests in

these subjects.

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“There is a crisis in computer science

education both in quality and access.

The result is that women and minorities

are missing opportunities to advance

academically and economically in a field

whose employment potential far exceeds

the number of students preparing for it.”

– Kim Wilkens, Computer Scientist,

Educator and C4K Volunteer (pictured

with Brijae, C4K student)

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(continued from Page 1) Working together to create games also helped C4K students to learn very practical social emotional skills. Miss Kim said, “Through this experience we saw students teach each other, experiment, collaborate, compromise, make mistakes, and figure out alternative solutions.” Students clearly enjoyed being creative, developing a product, and showing off their games to each other and their parents at an open house at C4K last March.

To view and play games created by C4K students visit: http://techkimgames.blogspot.com/

Reaching Out and Sharing Lessons Learned: C4K Program Director Dolly Joseph on Panel at UVA’s Innovation in Public Service ConferenceThis conference brought together UVa students, faculty, and local community partners for discussions on topics like connecting service with academics, the meaning of community engagement in Charlottesville and advice for getting started in public service work. Dolly was one of 6 panelists representing community nonprofits in a discussion on “Engaging Effectively with Community Partners.” She said, “C4K is fortunate to have new university students become mentors to our students every year, and I was honored and pleased to have the opportunity to discuss how nonprofits and university students can create mutually beneficial relationships.”

Can Coding Really Change the World? Volunteer Kim Wilcox and Teen Tech Lab Manager Allison Starks posed this question at Murray High School’s “Breaking Tradition” Conference Volunteer Kim Wilcox and Teen Tech Lab Manager Allison Starks share a passion for teaching technology and empowering students. Recently these ladies had the opportunity to address an audience of educators via Murray High School’s national annual “Breaking Tradition” virtual web conference. The two spoke about their experiences using video game design to teach computer programming at C4K and expounded on the importance of STEM education for women and minorities during their middle school years.

C4K is very fortunate to benefit from the dedication and expertise of volunteer Kim Wilcox. Kim is a computer scientist currently completing a Masters in Education from Mary Baldwin College. Kim recognizes women and minorities are startlingly underrepresented in computer science, and she is working to create a nonprofit to empower local girls to “imagine new futures for themselves in the field of computer science.”

C4K Student Inspires Other Kids at “Getting Locked In” Event Zack was one of several area students chosen to inspire other youth with their accomplishments at a recent event hosted by the City of Charlottesville’s Dialogue on Race. “Getting Locked In” was coordinated by Charles Alexander, a local entertainer and educator known as ”Alex-Zan.” Alex-Zan encouraged students to get “locked in” to a state of mind where they can accomplish anything! He also said, “Zach did an excellent job being an ambassador for C4K as well as sharing his positive experience there, particularly with creating computer games.” This was Zack’s first time speaking in public, and he said that although he was nervous, it was a great experience. He shared some of the challenges and excitement of creating a video game, and told other students that “he thought he could do it if he set his mind to it, and if you want to, you can set your mind to anything!”

Zach, C4K Student, Computer Programmer

and Video Game Designer

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One of the perks of being the beneficiary of The Foxfield Races is a tent donation on race day. We enjoyed the view!

Misael Mendoza (right) with his C4K Mentor Paul Giacherio (left)

It is time to say thanks…… to Foxfield Races for choosing C4K as the 2012 charity beneficiary of their

spring and fall races.

… to all who attended and supported the Boots and BBQ dinner on the grounds of Foxfield. A very special thank you to our underwriter, Steve McNaughton, and to the committee members who made the event a tremendous success: Andrea Ayres, Anne Breza, Lisa DeMaso, Brooke Donovan, Hallie Hegemier, Ellie Lee, Eliza O’Connell, Kala Somerville, Sarah Trundle, Kathy Walmsley, and Kristin Wray.

… to Pink Palm at Barracks Road, Vineyard Vines in Georgetown, and C’ville’s Sticks Kebob Shop for designating days to donate a portion of their proceeds to C4K.

… to Blue Moon Diner for donating 10% of the proceeds EVERY Tuesday in May to C4K!

C4K is Partnering with Virginia Mentoring Partnership and Americorps VISTA to hire a Mentor Program CoordinatorThe Coordinator will begin a one year position in the summer of 2012 and will assist C4K in several capacity building efforts including: designing and implementing a new mentor recruitment and marketing plan, launching and facilitating new training initiatives, and providing enhanced mentor-mentee match support. C4K is committed to implementing best practices, and thanks to the VMP, our Coordinator will receive top-notch training on the latest elements of effective practices for mentoring programs.

C4K Partners with UVa School of CommerceThank you to UVa Adjunct Professor Meghan Murray and the McIntire School of Commerce Students who assisted C4K in evaluating future hardware and software needs for our site. Their impressive consulting services helped C4K look for ways to effectively “think outside the box” while evaluating technology options for our students.

C4K Student turns Internship into Job Opportunity: Misael Scores at Total SoccerMisael is in the 11th grade at Charlottesville High School and has plans to go to college and major in either computer engineering or graphic design. He completed C4K’s internship prep class and earned a paid internship placement at Total Soccer through the City of Charlottesville’s Community Attention Youth Internship Program. Misael says the internship class was “very helpful” and it taught him how to dress for an interview, write a resume, and make professional phone calls. As an intern, Misael learned how to organize equipment, provide customer service, use the register, and was a translator for clients and other staff. The internship went so well that Misael received a job offer!

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C4K Students win top prizes in The Music Resource Center’s CD Design Contest

Donate More and Spend Less! It can cost only 5 cents to donate a dollar to C4K. How? Tax Credits!C4K donors can receive VA Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credits. To be eligible for a 40% credit, individuals must contribute a minimum of $500. Businesses are also eligible, and must donate $1,000 or more for a 40% credit.

To learn more visit our website, facebook page or call Kala Somerville at (434) 817-1121

Workplace Giving:Commonwealth of VA Campaign – C4K’s ID # is 3849Combined Federal Campaign – C4K’s ID # is 96344

Search or shop for C4K. Visit www.goodsearch.com to find coupons and discounts at more than 1,000 stores (including Amazon). Select our cause, click over to your favorite store, and shop away! Up to 30% of every purchase can benefit C4K.

945 Second Street SECharlottesville, VA 22902

info@computers4kids.net

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Ty and Romel recently placed first and second in the Music Resource Center’s Annual CD Design Contest. The contest was open to students at MRC, C4K, and the Boys and Girls Club. Entries were judged by design experts at Journey Group. Romel’s goal was to make the CD Cover “look like you want to buy it,” and Ty hoped to create a simplified, “not too graphic” look. The judges appreciated Ty’s mix media feel, and admired the well-balanced layout on Romel’s cover. Congrats, Gentlemen!

C4K would like to thank the following businesses for their contributions to this newsletter:T&N Printing, printingProbe Incorporated, design