Local students attend advanced technology bootcamp

Three Riverina and Central West students were among 60 of Australia’s brightest technology-buffs who converged on Macquarie University in Sydney last week to take part in an advanced digital technology summer-school backed by the Coalition Government.

The Nationals’ Member for Riverina and Minister for Small Business congratulated Kein Crevatin from Parkes High School and Edward Prescott and Tynan Matthews from Wagga Wagga High School on being selected to be part of the first digIT cohort, a program which will help take students’ skills in digital literacy, science, technology, engineering and mathematics to the next level.

“The Coalition Government has committed around $1 million for digIT through the National Innovation and Science Agenda to ensure we foster the passions of the next generation of technologists and boost their skills,” Mr McCormack said.

“Kein, Edward and Tynan have a proven passion for technology and they’re making Australia’s National Innovation and Science Agenda a reality. Having participated in digIT will help to expand their critical thinking, programming and problem-solving skills – skills that will be vital for Australia’s future successes.

“With the help of the Australian Mathematics Trust and Australian Science Innovations, digIT run a hands-on extension and mentoring program to expose students to all aspects of technology through guest lectures, interactive sessions, practicals and field trips.

“Programs such as digIT are critical for this and future generations of students because employment trends show that 75 per cent of Australia’s fastest growing careers demand skills in digital literacy, science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

“By fostering the skills and passion of these students through the digIT summer schools, residential camp and professional mentoring we expect these students will take what they’ve learned back to their classrooms to inspire and challenge their peers.

“Longer-term, digIT will help students build a network of new friends from all walks of life, learn from role models and practise new skills.”

The parents of each of the students were rightly so, very proud of their sons. Erika Crevatin, mother of Kein said, “it was a fantastic opportunity for my son and other participants to access more information about what he’s interested in and to be able to make decisions about what he wants to do later in life.”

Tynan Matthews’ mother Melissa was happy that Tynan and others with like interests were able to mix and link up, saying that visiting the headquarters of Google was definitely a highlight of the summer-school.

Cathy Prescott, mother of Edward was said she was proud Edward was selected to take partake in the program and excited for what opportunities it presented him and the other students who participated.

Kein, Edward and Tynan and the other digIT student participants will follow up their four-day residential summer school with a six-month program that includes another residential camp and professional mentoring.

Subsequent digIT summer schools will be held in a different capital city each year. They are open to secondary students from around Australia.

For more information please visit:www.amt.edu.au/information/for-students/digit/  

Cristy Houghton