Driving Change Through Technology and Coding Skills
For this project funded by York Region and United Way Toronto under the Newmarket Community Action Table (CAT), CY Ripples worked with disconnected youth in central Newmarket, providing them with a unique opportunity to learn computer building and coding skills by using donated used computers, and to explore hands-on robotic activities. The computers used during the training have been donated to project participants by application.
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This project ran from May to August of 2024 and took place at Newmarket Public Library and SolversMind Robotics Training Centre. Our participants were school-aged youth ranging from 9-14 years old.
COMPUTER BUILDING
July 18, July 25
Our July training session held at Newmarket Public Library was a blast! In the first session, participants had 2 hours of hands-on experience learning about computer parts and putting them together. In the second session, participants built their own computers, installed operating systems, and tested their computer knowledge by competing in a Kahoot game using their freshly built computers!
ROBOTICS
July 20, July 27
Our Robotics workshop with SolversMind was a huge success! In the first session, participants designed and built their own robots with the help from volunteers and participated in an exciting race at the end of the day! In the second session, participants programmed robotic snakes that bite when they see humans.
CODING
August 8, August 15
Our Coding workshop was super fun! In the first session, participants learned how to code a Space Invaders video game using Scratch. In the second session, participants learned the basics of Python Coding and played a Kahoot by the very end to test their learned knowledge. At the end of this final session, they were able to take home their very own computer.