Northeast Phila. School Hosts Summer Program For Teen 'Geeks'
By technology editor Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- They're kids from the Philadelphia area who might just come up with the next iPhone or create the next Amazon.
For now, though, they're still in school, but are using part of their summer to gain some serious skills.
Twelve-year-old Marty is learning how to program Eve (below), a shoe-sized robot made out of Lego bricks, as part of the Geek Squad Academy.
"Just going around in squares -- really, it looks like triangles, but they say squares," Marty explained.
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This summer program, featuring about 80 children from ages 10 to 16, is being held at New Foundations Charter School in Holmesburg, and is run by Will Woodworth of Geek Squad, the tech repair chain.
"It shows them that it is cool to be involved in this, because all of our employees are employed in these fields," Woodworth says.
With free Google software, the kids design their own homes, which a 3D printer forms out of what looks like weedwhacker wire.
"Tomorrow, we're going to film a movie," says K'Viah, who is learning the ins and outs of filmmaking as she storyboards and scripts a sports comedy.
"I want to be a director, probably, one day," she adds. "And I like watching movies and seeing how they're being made."
Physics teacher Peter Beck hopes to bring that type of inspiration to the classroom.
"The more technology you can integrate, the better off you are. They're going to respond well to that," he says.
