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Winter
2001 Volume 3, Number 2
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 Governor’s School prepares future technology leaders By Deborah A. Benedetti The Pennsylvania Governor’s School for Information Technology offered participating high school students something extra this year — the chance to meet Gov. Tom Ridge and other government and business officials during the 92nd annual National Governors’ Association (NGA) meeting held at Penn State. Ridge invited the Governor’s School students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they are learning during the “Taste of Pennsylvania” session of the NGA meeting. The Penn State Governor’s School students chose to highlight their work with robotics computer technology and their interactive communications link with fellow Governor’s School students at Drexel University during the session. Another team of Governor’s School students collaborated with Penn State Public Broadcasting’s WPSX-TV to videotape the event, held at the Hetzel Union Building. The students worked under the guidance of WPSX-TV staff to produce three video stories of the event. This is the second year for the Governor’s School for Information Technology. Penn State launched the first school in 1999, in collaboration with Drexel University. In 2000, 128 students from throughout Pennsylvania participated (74 each at Penn State and Drexel) in the five-week residential enrichment program. “Gov. Ridge implemented the Governor’s School for Information Technology in response to the predicted critical shortage of information technology professionals in Pennsylvania in the coming years,” Virginia C. Belser, academic director of the Governor’s School, said. “This youth outreach program is designed to encourage Pennsylvania’s brightest young people to consider entering the field of information technology in Pennsylvania.” She explained, “The Governor’s School curriculum is designed to expose our talented young people to the concept that a career in IT [information technology] is more than programming. The curriculum gives students new perspectives on how technology fits into our everyday lives and illustrates how a career in IT can still have a human focus — from assisting a dairy farmer with herd management to considering how individuals with disabilities might benefit from technology to thinking about how theatre performances might be impacted by the use of technology.” The Governor’s School curriculum also helps students develop the critical thinking and leadership skills they will need to succeed in information technology careers. The program is modeled on the curriculum of Penn State’s School of Information Sciences and Technology. Governor’s School students participate in classroom instruction, computer laboratories and field trips. Penn State faculty members and industry experts present lectures and discussions on current information technology topics. Students also have the option of attending evening programs to learn specific programming languages. In addition, each student is assigned to a project team, during which they learn decision-making, teambuilding, leadership and project management skills. Faculty members serve as project mentors. Interest in the Governor’s School for Information Technology is growing among Pennsylvania high school students, according to Belser. She anticipates enrollment will increase for next year’s school. During the National Governors’ Association “Taste of Pennsylvania” event, Gov. Ridge also expressed his desire to expand the current Governor’s School program, she said. “Gov. Ridge was so impressed by what he learned from the scholars at the NGA reception that he invited the Governor’s School to the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia,” Belser added.
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Robert
Avanzato (left), associate professor of engineering at Penn State
Abington, looks on as a student demonstrates his ability to control
a small robot with a Palm IIIc handheld computer. Avanzato taught
the Mobile Robotics Workshops during the Governor’s School
for Information Technology. 
U.Ed.OCE 01-8002/mkm/GSM