AAUW Branch member Mary Fenelon developed two Exploratory classes for the Incline Middle School Winter session in 2024-2025.  These were 9 weeks long and covered AI & Coding.

We had 3 additional AAUW Branch members and 2 Ridgeline employees assist in the classes during the hands on portion.

Class 1: AI Explorers: Unleash Your Tech Genius!

Hey there, future tech whizzes! Ever wonder how robots and computers learn to think? Dive into the exciting world of artificial intelligence (AI) and discover how it’s shaping our society!

In this cool adventure, you’ll learn all about the basic nuts and bolts of AI systems. Find out how they work and what kind of superpowers they have. But that’s not all! You’ll also get to explore how AI can totally change the game depending on the info its fed and the goals its given.

Ready to get hands-on?  You’ll even get to build your very own classification algorithm. Yep, you heard that right! Plus, you’ll experiment with something called generative AI. Trust us, it’s mind-blowing stuff!

But hold on, there’s a twist! As you journey through the land of AI, you’ll also think about its superhero potential… and its villainous side. Could these powerful technologies save the day, or could they bring about some unexpected chaos?

Get ready to unleash your inner tech genius and join us on this epic quest into the world of AI! Let’s make the future awesome together!

Class 2: Arduino Adventures

Learn the basics of computer programming and electronics with an Arduino computer. Start with programs that draw lines on the screen and progress to games. Use what you have learned to send and receive digital signals to an Arduino with LEDs and light sensors and program games like basketball and pong. The programming skills you learn will give you a head start in the AP Computer Science class you will take in high school.

The goal of this class is to have some fun with engineering and computer science concepts and encourage enrollment in these classes at the high school and beyond.