A small robotic car can do more than move forward, turn or avoid an obstacle. For young students, watching something move because of code they created can be the moment technology starts to feel possible.

That sense of possibility is at the heart of Missouri State University’s Cyber Cubs Camp. What started as a fun summer activity that began in summer 2024 has grown into a place where youth explore technology, solve problems and discover what they can create.

This year’s camp, from Aug. 10-14, welcomed 17 students in fourth through eighth grades for five days of technology learning. Organized by Missouri State’s Association for Business Information Technology Students with support from the department of information technology and cybersecurity (ITC), the camp introduced participants to information technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, coding and robotics.

“When they see the car doing what they want it to, they feel so excited,” said Dr. Zhiguo Yang, ITC professor. “You never know, maybe some of these students will go on to become a robotics or AI scientist, all because they worked on this car.”

Building a foundation

Now in its third year, Cyber Cubs includes several hands-on activities. Campers also get to experience Missouri State’s ITC labs, security operations center and technology resources.

For some of them, the experience starts with the basics. One student at this summer’s camp had never used a computer before.

“Through Cyber Cubs, the student now learned how to interact with a computer, get on the internet, secure personal information and interact with information online in a safe way,” said Dr. Xiang Guo, ITC department head. “That alone is very valuable.”

Turning code into action

Robotics has been part of Cyber Cubs since the beginning, but the experience became more structured this year. Instead of simply learning how to code a car, campers worked on a project that challenged them to program a car to complete tasks independently.

The learning continued beyond coding. At the end of camp, students presented their projects to family and friends and shared what they had built and learned.

“Students get to complete a project and learn public speaking skills and how to answer questions,” Guo said.

Learning from the learners

Cyber Cubs brings two generations of learners together, giving Missouri State students a chance to mentor younger campers.

After previous summers, Yang and the Cyber Cubs team found that teaching programming to young students required a different approach.  With one instructor guiding several teams at once, campers could get stuck, distracted or lose interest.

Reflecting on this challenge, this year, College of Business ITC student counselors worked alongside campers, giving one-on-one help when questions or challenges came up.

“Different kids may come up with different questions,” Yang said. “Having a counselor next to them means they’re always ready to answer questions and help.  It makes everything go much more smoothly.”

Through mentoring young learners, ITC students gained valuable experience and engaged with the community with their own knowledge and skills.

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