My work with the INTERalliance club at Saint Ursula Academy best connects with standard 4 of the CSTA standards, instructional design. While the club isn’t an actual course I am teaching, the students involved are able to exhibit the actions related to creating projects to integrate and extend their knowledge of computer science and make them meaningful and authentic. My role as a co-moderator is to support their ability to make connections between their knowledge and their interests. The students have begun to prepare for the TechOlympics which will be held in February 2025. TechOlympics is a two-day event where students compete, network, and learn about IT opportunities in Cincinnati. The theme for the showcase project they are developing is Inspire. In club meetings students worked to develop a project that would help solve an issue in their community. After many rounds of brainstorming, the students focused their plan on being able to assist individuals post natural disaster. They all connected to the issues that existed for people impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton. Their current goal is to explore ways to help people who are separated from their homes using sensors and tracking devices. They plan on using Arduino as a resource to develop the project. 

Watching the girls in the club work to brainstorm, thinking creatively and critically about all the options, was so much fun. They are a very motivated and confident group, but have to work to collaborate among a variety of perspectives. As moderators, we are there for support only; leadership falls on the seniors and they are navigating the meetings well. These seniors have the benefit of attending the competition before and much of that fed into the development of their project. I’m excited to see their idea develop into a reality in the coming months.