IBM AI Tech Camp 2022

From July 26th to the 28th, Bay Area IBMers welcomed local high school students to the Silicon Valley Lab for an AI Tech Camp where they participated in hands-on activities geared toward STEAM and career exploration. This Camp stems from over three decades of partnership between IBM and local high schools.

Last year, IBM and the San Jose Public Library Foundation (SJPLF) began a partnership aimed at creating future pathways for students from low-income families while improving racial and gender diversity in the Silicon Valley workforce. SJPLF’s invitation-based college and career readiness program “SJ Aspires” has since allowed IBM to grow its impact on local high schools through volunteer opportunities that allow students to receive financial awards.

One such opportunity is the inclusion of “SJ Aspires” students in this year’s AI Tech Camp. When I was asked to volunteer my visual skills by designing the Camp’s logo, student badges, and completion certificate months before the event itself, I ecstatically agreed! Though I did not receive my high school education in San José, I was born and raised in Eastside just minutes from all participating locations (Independence High School, William C. Overfelt High School, San José High School) and was committed to giving back.

Thus, I collaborated closely with the organizers to ensure that all design collateral accurately represented the AI Tech Camp’s mission of empowering students from underserved communities. I chose to emphasize the local nature of the AI Tech Camp by illustrating IBM’s Silicon Valley Lab and its rolling hills. Color-wise, a pinkish red, optional blue, black, and white were chosen for their friendly, educational attributes.

As the AI Tech Camp drew near, I signed up to volunteer in other ways. On the first day, I joined a group of five students who named themselves “Item Bounty Masters“ on a scavenger hunt. They familiarized themselves with our site by using clues to take pictures and earn points in notable areas such as the gym, Game Room, and more. On the second day, I led students on a nature walk during which I explained our Nest Box Monitoring program before giving all a tour of the SVL Design Studio!

On the third and final day, I hosted a one-hour session: Introduction to IBM’s Make Lab. Since joining IBM in 2019, I have been trying to establish a “Make Lab” at SVL, a space in which people interested in design, technology, and crafting can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge. Though the project was put on hold due to COVID-19 and the “Make Lab Crew” has changed significantly since our humble beginnings, we were able to spend the first months back in office preparing the space for the Camp session to be our first soft opening event.

The SVL Make Lab is home to stations dedicated to fashion, print-making, electronics, and “lo-fi” crafting. Therefore, as Crew Lead and session host, I felt button-making and block carving would be straightforward creative experiences with which to introduce the students.

I prepared designs for both activities by selecting pictograms from the IBM Design Language for block carving, and leveraging the SVL Design Studio’s rebus for button-making. On top of that, I created two new designs for the button maker inspired by the AI Tech Camp’s logo as well as by a past Crew member’s screen printing design.

While a handful of students began making buttons with guidance from a volunteer, I provided the rest with printed pictograms and led a design-transferring tutorial. From there, I went around to each table answering questions as each student began to carve a 2x2 inch rubber block. Toward the end of our session, I showed the students how to prepare and roll ink on to their blocks using a brayer so as to create their first prints. The session was a success!

Later that day organizers, volunteers, parents, and participants celebrated with swag bags and cake!

All in all, the AI Tech Camp proved itself to be an empowering hands-on experience for students and IBMers alike.

Pieces included: AI Tech Camp logo, AI Tech Camp student badges, AI Tech Camp completion certificate, AI Tech Camp button design (not pictured), SVL Make Lab button design (not pictured).