Technology Sessions

9:00am to 4:00pm

Check your registration packet for your specific assignment.

3D Web Apps with three.js, Room 147
Create a Minecraft-type 3D game
This session introduces students to the three.js JavaScript 3D library used for creating and displaying animated 3D computer graphics in a web browser. Students will create a Minecraft-type 3D game.
Facilitated by Steven Rein, Software Engineer at John Deere Financial

Agile Manifesto & Methods, Room 149
How Agile helps tech teams improve and deliver products
In this hands-on, faced-past session, students will learn about various methods of Agile being used for software or product delivery. Students will apply the methods learned and use a real-time audience participation app to complete an interactive questionnaire project for use during Tech Camp’s closing ceremony.
Facilitated by Joe Ollendick, Chief Technology Officer at International Association of Better Business Bureaus

Intro to Electronics, Room 143
Before there was digital…
This session will introduce students to the basics of electronics and designing a simple circuit. Students will learn how to read schematic documents, design a circuit using a breadboard, and then solder components based on a project with a 555 timer integrated circuit chip.
Facilitated by Shayne Rich, Staff Engineer at John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group

Intro to Programming with Python, Room 148
Begin with the most popular programming language in the world
As a foundational session for new, incoming students, this session will introduce students to the Python programming language and basic coding principles while they create some simple, interactive apps.
Facilitated by Davien Schweitzer, Software Engineer at Principal Financial Group

More Robotics with Hummingbird Robotic Kits, Room 145
Use the Hummingbird controller kit to make cool creations
In this hands-on session, students will use Hummingbird Robotics Kits to make cool creations as they continue exploring the basics of robotics. Using Hummingbird controllers, sensors, motors, LEDs and other components, students will create and code cool projects.
Facilitated by Tom Pesek, Technical Product Manager at Compressor Controls Corporation

Lunch

11:45am to 12:15pm, Fellowship Hall

Subway sandwiches

Tech Startups

12:15 to 1:00pm, Fellowship Hall

Mark Frederick, co-founder of MakuSafe, will share his story of how he explored technology as a kid, pursued it through education and became part of a local tech startup for a wearable to improve worker safety.
Keynote by Mark Frederick, Chief Technology Officer at MakuSafe and Director at Tech Journey

Technology Sessions

9:00am to 4:00pm

Check your registration packet for your specific assignment.

3D Game Development with PlayCanvas, Room 147
Create a 3D platformer game
This session introduces students to the basics of game development. Students will create a 3D platformer game in PlayCanvas that interacts with the user.
Facilitated by Garritt Grandberg, Vice President of Technology & Engineering at Visionary Services

Intro and Advanced Arduino, Room 143
Do you Arduino?
Whether new to Arduino or with prior experience, students will begin to explore this open-source hardware platform for building digital devices or be challenged to explore more complex solutions. Students new to Arduino will program devices to complete tasks such as lighting a LED or playing sounds whereas experienced students will be challenged to complete projects with servo motors.
Facilitated by Shayne Rich, Staff Engineer at John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group

Intro to Web Development, Room 148
Wonder how web apps are created?
In this foundational session, new Tech Camp students will be introduced the basics of front-end web development including HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Students will create some simple apps and games utilizing foundations of web development.
Facilitated by Steven Rein, Software Engineer at John Deere Financial

Repurpose a Chromebook, Room 145
Hack a Chromebook to make a Linux workstation
In this hands-on hardware session, students will take a peak inside a computer and be walked through the repurposing of a Chromebook to a Linux workstation which they will spend some time exploring. Students will “unlock” old Chromebooks into a Linux workstation with current system security updates.
Facilitated by Ethan Spoelstra, DevOps & Infrastructure Engineer at Lean TECHniques

Web Apps with React & Next.js, Room 149
Get out of the gate quickly with front-end web development
In this session, students will learn how quickly they can create a web application by using existing technologies. Students will learn about the React javascript library and how it interacts with the Document Object Model or DOM as they create a small web app using the Next.js React framework.
Facilitator: Luke Dunscombe, Software Consultant at Lean TECHniques

Lunch

11:45am to 12:15pm, Fellowship Hall

Papa John’s pizza

Zip Line Challenge

12:15 to 1:00pm, Fellowship Hall

Teams will compete against one another as they try to help Paisley the ping pong ball safely get down the zip line. The winning team will receive gift cards!

Technology Sessions

9:00am to 12:00 noon

Check your registration packet for your specific assignment.

Cloud Computing, Room 147
What is cloud computing and what is it used for?
In this session, students will receive an overview of cloud computing including its importance, use, implementation platforms and examples from today’s digital society. Students will walk through a few hands-on exercises demonstrating how cloud computing can be applied.
Facilitated by Ankit Mohta, Software Engineer at John Deere Financial

Cybersecurity: Web Exploits, Room 145
Students collaborate and follow along on a journey to find, evaluate, and exploit a web vulnerability. Students get root on the web server and talk in detail about how we got there and how to defend against it. We’ll work on recon, research, exploitation, and privilege escalation against a vulnerable application.
Facilitated by Andy Galvan, John Deere

Intro Engineering Design, Room 143
How important is design anyway?
In this session, students will learn basic engineering design principles and how proper design impacts the quality of the product and success of the project. Using a solar robot kit, students will design and build a robot to complete specific challenges.
Facilitated by Shayne Rich, Staff Engineer at John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group

Intro Robotics with BBC micro:bit, Room 148
How do robots work?
In this foundational session, new students will be introduced to the BBC micro:bit computer and its capabilities serving as a platform for students to program a rock-paper-scissors-playing robot. Students will see how programming differs with blocks (Microsoft MakeCode) versus text languages (MicroPython) as they create fun projects with the micro:bit.
Facilitated by Tom Pesek, Technical Product Manager at Compressor Controls Corporation

Music Production with EarSketch, Fellowship Hall
The intersection of producing and programming
Students will learn the basics of EarSketch, a software tool from Georgia Tech University, to produce studio-quality beats and remix it using Python.
Facilitated by Tyler Hood, Musician

Quality Assurance Testing, Room 149
Is your app ready for users?
Evaluating everything about a website before it gets used is vitally important–from overall aesthetics to ensuring the user experience is the same on any device. This session will overview Quality Assurance testing, why it is important and how to go about it as students perform hands-on QA testing of websites.
Facilitated by Aaron Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Webspec Design

Lunch

12:00 noon to 1:00pm, Fellowship Hall

Jimmy John’s sandwiches

Closing Session

1:00 to 3:00pm, Room 148

In this closing camp session, attendees will hear from John Carr, Ph.D. While working for NASA, Carr has won multiple grant proposals, designed, built and launched a satellite into space and recently worked as their deputy to the chief technology officer. The closing session will also include special recognition of seniors and scholarship recipients as well as student project demonstrations from Tech Camp 2021. Family is invited.
Wrap up and Introduction by Hannah VanDerHart, President and Chair at Tech Journey
Keynote by John Carr Ph.D., Deputy Chief Technologist at NASA
Scholarship Presentations by Danielle Brommer, Director at Tech Journey

Reception

After closing ceremony, Fellowship Hall

Enjoy cake and celebrate! Family is invited.