[^^^Ashford MAIN page] [^^^The Pond Normal School]West High IT Club
ProQuest Link: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=5&did=1439028161&SrchMode=1&sid=7&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1215120801&clientId=74379 DOC ID: 1439028161 West High IT club prepares to fend off hackers, design computer games Andrew Wind. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Washington: Mar 4, 2008. Abstract (Summary) A team of about 10 students will be protecting a computer network from hackers during the Information Technology, or IT, Olympics April 25 and 26 at Iowa State University's Hilton Coliseum. Another 30 percent of points will be earned for their competition performance and the final 20 percent will be based on the community service project. To see more of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.wcfcourier.com/. Copyright (c) 2008, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. Mar. 4--WATERLOO -- West High School junior Andy Weidner likes computers. And he is beginning to learn skills like how to run an operating system and computer networking in the after-school Wahawk Adventures Club. Students meet Tuesdays to hone those skills or learn how to design computer games. "Right now, it's kind of overwhelming," said Weidner. "It seems like there's a lot of stuff to learn." In less than two months, though, everything Weidner is absorbing will have to be defended -- literally. A team of about 10 students will be protecting a computer network from hackers during the Information Technology, or IT, Olympics April 25 and 26 at Iowa State University's Hilton Coliseum. A second West High team will be racing to design a computer game while a third group will be programming a robot it builds out of Legos. Advisor Larry Twigg said the after-school club is tapping into what students are learning in the Cisco computer classes he teaches "and taking it to another level." "This is a great opportunity for them," he added. "They learn so much in that weekend." The two-day competition will draw about 400 students from across the state to Ames. "We currently have 38 high schools coming, which will represent 80 different teams competing in three venues," said Doug Jacobson, professor of electrical and computer engineering at ISU and a competition organizer. Northeast Iowa students will also be coming from Denver, Janesville, Charles City and Hampton high schools. In the cyber defense competition, each team will network six computer servers. "Basically, each of us are going to have two or three servers we specialize in," said Weidner. "They'll use different operating systems. Like, one will use Windows, one will use Linux." Teams made up of ISU students, professors and others will make requests of and attack the computer networks. The high schoolers must fill the requests while fending off the attacks. "They need to be able to deal with everything at the same time," said Twigg. "So, it's a little chaotic." The game design students are using a computer program to create the game they will bring to the competition. "Four of us will be working together to create a game according to the guidelines they give us," said West junior Adym Barth. Jacobson said the game students create will "teach science and technology to middle school kids." In addition, teams will be asked to design another game while at the competition. Robotics teams will similarly bring what they create to the competition and be asked to do further building or programming there. Twigg is still determining if a team of West students will be participating in that competition. Each club also has to complete a community service project. "We're checking into doing computer recycling for people," said Twigg. Jacobson said teams will earn about 50 percent of their points based on what they create before the competition. Another 30 percent of points will be earned for their competition performance and the final 20 percent will be based on the community service project. Weidner said part of his interest in the IT competition stems from the career possibilities he sees. That is at the root of ISU's sponsorship, too. "We're trying to get more kids involved in IT, either as a future career or just making more people aware," said Jacobson. He cited a 40 percent decrease in the number of high school students expressing interest in the field over the past three years. At the same time, the industry is looking for more information technology workers. Jacobson said booths for information technology companies and schools touting educational opportunities will be set up at the IT Olympics. "So that two-day event is more than a competition," he said. "It's really a celebration of IT in Iowa." Contact Andrew Wind at (319) 291-1507 or andrew.wind@wcfcourier.com. Credit: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, IowaLinks
On the gender gap in tech. -[Hale's paper]- -[Wever-Rabehl's paper]- -[]- -[]- -[]- -[]-