G^3 Cyber Fall 2010

Saturday, November 6th, 2010

Our second G^3 Cyber was such a smash! The day started out in the WSU Welcome Center with a fun "Find Someone Who..." activity which was actually showing us how data mining works (how Google and other online sites sort our "likes" and "dislikes"). From there we moved to the Computer Science labs in State Hall where we started to dabble in learning the SCRATCH program. Each GG was armed with a cute, purple GO-GIRL wristband flashdrive complete with their individual iPhoto photo, and were all able to take the program and their work home with them for later! Parents met in the morning for a Parent Cafe in the UGL where they discussed career opportunities in Computer Science and explore ways they they can support their daughters as they continue to plan their path to college. Then we enjoyed boxed sandwich lunches and took turns checking out demonstrations by computer science students. The students had taken apart computers and showed us how hard drives worked and they answered our questions about computer science college degrees and jobs. We took tours of the 3D Movie labs in the Woodward Bldg. and finished the day with a fun prize-filled round of Cyber Jeopardy!

G^3 Cyber

Saturday, March 27th, 2010

Today was GG's second Operation Keeping in Touch event: GO-GIRL Goes Cyber (G^3 Cyber), and it was a success!

About 35 of our former GG alumnis from grades 8-12 reunited in the WSU Welcome Center, along with their families and friends, to join us for a fun day of cyber activity and Parent Cafe learning.

While the girls were busy working and playing, the GG parents joined us for a Parent Cafe which started off in the WSU Undergraduate Library. Here, with the help of WSU's librarians, the GG parents were introduced to MeL, the Michigan eLibrary. This great online resource can help parents and GGs in obtaining research and other useful information materials. Later, Dr. Sally brought parents up to speed on GG and upcoming GG events and opportunities. Finally, a WSU admissions counselor spoke with the parents about WSU and the college admissions process in general.

Meanwhile, the GGs were split into teams which traveled to different stations in State Hall, learning about how computers can be used to make meaning of very large amounts of data. They explored the power to create and share messages using animation software. Among other activities, the GGs learned about "data mining", made a game using the programming language Scratch, and learned about some of the things computer scientists do. After a midday break for a Subway lunch in the Welcome Center, the girls were back at play (work). They watched a video and toured the graphics & sensor network labs in State Hall. At the end of the day, we held a big game of BINGO using all of the terms we'd defined throughout the day. The GGs walked away with lots of knowledge, new computer expertise, prizes, and smiles from seeing their former GG friends.

We're so looking forward to our GG Reunion this upcoming Fall of 2010, keep an eye out for our postings as more information becomes available!!! :)

Thank you to all of our former GGs and families who attended, and thank you to the helpful and wonderful WSU Computer Science Department faculty & staff who made this possible, as well as Dr. Stephanie Brock, the WSU librarians, the WSU admissions counselors, and GG volunteers, it couldn't have been possible without you!