While the weather in Ohio has been far from cooperative for outdoor activities this summer, some local students have had plenty of activity to keep them busy.

Johns Hopkins University presented two youth programs in partnership with Clark State Community College for esteemed high school and middle school students in Clark County. All of the students were able to attend the programs at no cost thanks to the generosity of local donor Rosalyn R. Bullock.

The summer programs: Engineering Innovation for high school students and Phone & Games for middle school students, have both been extremely successful. Kanesha Hall, STEM programming manager for Clark State and teaching fellow with Johns Hopkins, said the programs progressed well, and the students were highly invested in their work.

While Johns Hopkins has presented Engineering Innovation at previous college locations, this is the first time it has been offered at Clark State. However, this is the first time the Phone & Games program has been presented. Clark State is serving as a test site for this program.

“Students are being taught to engineer apps for Android devices by applying the Engineering Design Process to the use of MIT App Inventor 2,” said Hall. “The instructor and teaching fellow use short lectures and tutorials to facilitate student navigation of the cloud-based software. Students apply principle of variables, mathematics and logic to create the apps successfully.”

Margaret Hart, Johns Hopkins University instructor for the Phone & Games program, has served as the middle school program manager for Johns Hopkins University for three years. Hart is also responsible for developing the original curriculum for the Phone & Games program.

Hall said Clark State was able to offer the students up-to-date technology, a helpful staff and spacious work areas in the new Student Academic Support Center located in Rhodes Hall. She believes it is important for the students to learn that how you start, is how you finish. “The first step of the engineering design process is as important as the last. No matter what you innovate and work toward academically, start strong and finish strong.”

Phone & Games will conclude with a student reception at 3 p.m., Friday, July 17 in the Brinkman Educational Center on Clark State’s Downtown Campus. Engineering Innovation culminates with teams competing in a spaghetti bridge-building competition. Judging will take place on Friday, July 24 at 10:30 a.m.