Much like any class out there, not all of the students in attendance are going to necessarily follow that exact career path set forth by the offered curriculum. Regardless, by following the example being set forth by Pinckney High of Detroit, Michigan, we as mentors/teachers have an opportunity to educate kids on just how to become excellent problem solvers once they graduate into adulthood.

Looking back at my own ‘wonder years’, I feel that one of my biggest regrets was not being as exposed to computers in the home as early as some of my classmates. Now some of this may have been due to not showing enough interest early on. Other reasons still, likely include the belief at the time that computers were just for businesses and hobbyists. No matter how you cut it though, I would have definitely benefited from a class teaching me how computers actually work early on as a youngster.

Now that I look back into my childhood even further, I do seem to have some memory of shooting down a chance to attend computer camp at one point. Hmm, perhaps I should have just been tossed into the ‘deep end’ so to speak, thus allowing myself to experience something new even if I was not too keen on volunteering on my own at the time.

I know, more often than not you find yourself doing much of the work just trying to get kids to agree to something like that. But to me, computer camps and classes like those being offered at Pinckney High can potentially help to cultivate tomorrow’s thinkers and problem solvers. Besides, there might just be some kid out there who could in fact, be inspired to become the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. Stranger things have happened…