CS Juniors: ChiTech Discovery Days

ChiTech Discovery Days have engaged students from schools with limited access to   computer science education, expanding their educational and professional opportunities. Using a grant from the IEEE Computer Society, the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) helped broaden participation for Chicago Public Schools students, teachers, and chaperones.

Successfully Engaging with a Broad Student Population

ChiTech Discovery Days have succeeded in increasing access to tech in the Chicago area. Between October and December 2025, more than 200 students from six different schools participated in ChiTech Discovery Days, along with 19 educational professionals. For 2026, the projected number of students is 600, accompanied by 60 educators.

The program has also succeeded in helping broaden participation among different types of students. Participants have all hailed from schools with limited access to computer science courses. Each Discovery Day has successfully helped students explore more CS opportunities and expand their interest in some of the most recent technological breakthroughs.

Discovery Days Program Design

The Discovery Days have also successfully maximized student engagement, rather than merely presenting them with information. This has been by design. Each Discovery Day has engaged students using:

• Guest speakers: Representatives from local business and tech organizations discussed career opportunities and Chicago’s innovation ecosystem
• Hands-on learning: Students dove into new tech skills by working through 75-minute activities led by facilitators.
• Interactive career discussions: Students engaged in career pathway conversations with tech professionals and college students. These shared their personal journeys, offered advice, and answered questions.

Impactful Skill Development

Discovery Days have scored another crucial win by reinforcing skills that improve students’ current and future prospects. Some of the skills the program has built in participants include:

• Critical thinking: Students had to work through challenges such as exploring quantum entanglement by solving puzzles in a Minecraft world-building experience.
• Teamwork: Participants worked in small groups to combat challenges, such as working through quantum measurement and entanglement problems.
• Community empathy: Students explored the Chicago Data Portal to review and share public information that applies to a community issue they’re interested in.
• Coding: Each participant got a chance to code a micro:bit, which gave them exposure to software programming and the hardware that executes their code.
• Electricity and circuitry: Students learned how electrical circuits work by building mini-breadboard projects.
• Time management: Each activity had a set time frame, so students had to find ways to budget the time used for each project phase.

The IEEE CS Juniors Program

The IEEE CS Juniors Program provided the grant used to fund the ChiTech Discovery Days. Covering everything from basic activity supplies to circuit boards to catered lunches. The IEEE CS’s efforts created rewarding, horizon-expanding experiences for students and the educators who accompanied them. By reaching out to populations with limited access to computer science courses, the IEEE CS broadens participation, breaking down barriers that would otherwise prevent students from exploring their tech potential.

Using interactive, hands-on learning, ChiTech Discovery Days have also helped the next generation of professionals get a feel for what it’s like to work in tech. Similarly, the program increased students’ exposure to local colleges and careers. This has made their transition out of high school and into college or a tech profession smoother and more comfortable.

Learn how help power IEEE CS’s work with young people by exploring volunteer opportunities today.