By Mary Masla and Bethany Ard

When you think of the words "gamer" or "computer science," what sorts of images pop into your head? Chances are it is one of a few stereotypes, possibly someone who is out of touch and socially awkward, living in their own bespectacled, often alternate, reality. With the influx of new and creative ways of engaging youth in computer science, this image of the computer scientist or gamer, is poised to change, and recently, we spent time with two different summer programs invested in doing just that.

This month, OregonASK AmeriCorps VISTA Bethany Ard, and Field Correspondent Mary Masla, spent time in two different programs focused on gaming and computer science. On the fourth weekend in July, Portlanders ages 9-17 spent two days creating characters, commanding "turtles," and building worlds and challenges full of sea creature-robots. Two hours south, down the I-5 corridor, middle school students spent two weeks coding their initials into magnets, programming fellow 'robots' to stack cups, dissecting electric tea lights and orchestrating music with the click of a button.

In this day and age, technology is everywhere - at work, at home, at play - we depend on technology. Technology increasingly permeates every aspect of society, and provides the foundation for most modern innovation. Girls, women and under-represented populations, are avid users of technology, but these groups are significantly underrepresented in its creation. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), women hold a mere 18% of all undergraduate computer and information science degrees, despite the fact that women hold 40% of undergraduate physical sciences degrees. There are not only consequences for those populations being excluded, but for the innovation of the field and its users as a whole. Barriers to participation and engagement may include a lack of access, a lack of relevant curriculum and instructional approaches, or inaccurate perceptions about computing careers and environments. This month, OregonASK got to hang out with innovative individuals working to break down these barriers.

Kiki Prottsman of THINKERSMiTH, and Jeffrey Sens and Will Lewis of PDX Game Education and Pixel Arts are working hard to make computer science accessible for all. Lead by student interest, student choice and student creativity, these two organizations are cultivating young computer scientists, game designers, and STEM professionals by starting at the beginning, with approachable, easy to understand concepts that inspire growth and discovery.

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