Kids try out coding, virtual reality, robotics and more at Lincoln tech fair

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – For the seventh year in a row, the Hour of Code tech fair drew hundreds of people to Innovation Campus to practice coding, interact with robots and try on virtual reality headsets.

Local organizations like Code Black and Don’t Panic Labs attended the fair.

Kaylie Hogan-Schnittker with the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development said the goal is to get kids interested in science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM.

“Every kid that’s walked through the door has asked me where the robots are,” she said. “If they know that they can be a technologist or a software designer or even an engineer or a astronaut at an early age, they’ll likely end up growing into that.”

One participant, nine-year-old Olivia, said she enjoyed learning about the world of coding and thinks more people should try it.

“My favorite activity we’re about to do is the VR,” she said. “Everything we did was very amazing.”

Amy Chittenden, an elementary computer science teacher, said the event is an opportunity for both boys and girls to interact with STEM subjects.

“Especially with computer science, we’ve often felt that girls may shy away from such things,” she said.

But by introducing them to STEM earlier, Chittenden said they’re more to stick with it when they’re older.

Other groups attending included the UNL School of Computing and the Aerospace Club.

The club showed off a robot they built last year for the Lunabotics Competition at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Team lead Emma Soukup said a job in robotics is more attainable than you might think, and it all starts in school.

“A lot of people aren’t necessarily aware of the opportunities you can get into when you got to college,” she said. “I know a lot of people go and work for Honeybee robotics, which also does something similar with space exploration programs. A lot of people go work for NASA.”

Lindsay Rogers with Spark Summer Learning said getting kids involved in STEM not only adds to the future workforce but teaches them problem solving and critical thinking skills that can be used in any career.

“I really enjoy watching them have those ‘aha’ moments of like, ‘I just did that,'” she said. “We really want to see students engaged and kind of light that spark, and get them thinking ‘oh my goodness, I can do this. This is fun.'”