New Program Fosters Love of Technology For Urbandale Students

From the Urbandale Community School District:

To answer the growing trend of high-tech talent leaving Iowa, the Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) has developed a proven, strategic program, called HyperStream.

HyperStream partners middle and high school students with ambassador companies that help mentor, educate, and strengthen Iowa’s future technology talent.

The Urbandale High School HyperStream Club meets weekly with their ambassador company, Hy-Vee, Inc., to learn everything from project management, to team leadership, to multimedia, to robotics, to back-end programming and development; all while delivering tangible projects and contributing to the community.

"These students will be the business leaders and problem-solvers of tomorrow," said Darren Baty, Vice President, Strategy and Innovation for Hy-Vee, Inc. "We think it's important to help them gain the skills and experience they need to achieve success in an increasingly technology-driven world."

Every Wednesday, mentors from the Hy-Vee Information Technology Team meet with Urbandale High School HyperStream students, teachers, and administrators to provide guidance and facilitate learning about leading technology initiatives.

The Urbandale HyperStream Club multimedia team recently developed the “J-Hawk Informer” which is an opt-in text messaging system for students and parents that alerts them to key updates regarding the UHS lunch menu, inclement weather, and school news.

In doing so, students have learned how to assess the needs of fellow students, develop a program to support those needs, design specifications for a strong user interface, and deliver a project from concept to completion.  

“HyperStream is focused on providing students with real-world technology projects in a fun and engaging environment, while being mentored by technology professionals. We cover the breadth of technology which positions the HyperStream Clubs to be engaging for students with a wide range of personal interests. Urbandale’s J-Hawk Informer is an exciting example of the essence of HyperStream,” said Tamara Kenworthy, HyperStream Program Director, TAI.

HyperStream Club members are also committed to heading service projects that give back to members in the local community.

Students recently refurbished computers to donate to the local senior center, but they didn’t stop there. Students believed seniors would be more inclined to use the computers if they also developed a presentation that provided essential computer tips and instructions.

“It's been great seeing this group of students learn about technology and the "nuts and bolts" behind bringing a project idea to reality,” said Tim Carver, Assistant Principal, Urbandale High School. “Our students have also found unique ways that they can help give back to the school (text messaging project) and greater community (refurbished computers and training) through their tech-skills and interests.”

The Urbandale Community School District is dedicated to establishing productive partnership opportunities with local business and technology leaders. To that end, Urbandale High School students also recently participated in the Microsoft DigiGirlz session during the fifth annual Technology Association of Iowa 2012 DuPont Pioneer Women of Innovation event. A group of students will also be attending the upcoming Celebrate! Innovation Week 2013 (ciWeek) at the DMACC West Campus, March 4–7, 2013. The district vision of bringing learning to life for everyone is an ongoing, dynamic, and continual process; one that strives for the same degree of innovation and mastery that is found in Iowa’s leading technology firms.