When you can’t log in to Office 365 or figure out how to work your new app, who you gonna call? Well, if you’re at Willow Creek Elementary School you can call the Donut Hackers.
This dedicated group of third through fifth graders meets weekly to learn the ins and out of their district-issued iPads, with the goal of trouble shooting problems for their teachers and classmates.
The technology club (named by founding club members with a fondness for donuts) is in its second full year. Last year members learned to run four different programs by viewing online tutorials and exploring the programs themselves. Led by Nampa Personalized Learning Instructional Coach Karen Dillon, team members also learned basic troubleshooting, wiring carts, how to clean devices, and how to help someone without taking over the device themselves.
The club meets once a week before school to learn new programs and brush up on basic skills.
To be accepted as part of the club, kids must submit a professional-looking resume and be willing to volunteer before school or during their lunch hour. But Dillon says it’s not all about technology skills.
“We want the kids to feel like they are a part of our community and take pride in who they are and what they offer,” she said.
Four students who were in the club last year will assist Dillon with most of the teaching during club meetings. They include fifth-graders Maddox Brown, Gaven Pickering, Sienna Stairs and Katie Taylor. Fourth and fifth graders will be available to assist various teachers as they introduce new apps to their students, while third graders will help out in their own classrooms.