Engineers apply computer science knowledge to problem solving, and we think children can, too. For more than two decades, we’ve been partnering with PK-12 educators to bring authentic, hands-on engineering challenges into the classroom. Core to these efforts has been helping educators support students as they engage in engineering practices—the habits and behaviors engineers rely on when solving problems. One of the practices that we want educators and students to be aware of is that engineers use computer science knowledge when designing solutions. 

"Computers can occasionally mess up.” Hearing those words from a middle schooler feels like a small victory. Today’s middle schoolers are digital natives, but that doesn’t mean that they understand the algorithms underlying the applications that they use. Most kids trust computer output without question because, most of the time, computers are efficient, helpful, and accurate… until they aren’t.That moment of doubt—of healthy skepticism—signals something powerful: a student beginning to think critically about how computational tools work and why they behave the way they do. When students pause and consider the algorithm behind the output on their screen, we know our Youth Engineering Solutions Computer Science module achieved one of its goals. 

As educators, we know that the decisions youth make today—from elective courses to extracurricular activities—can inform and shape their future pathways. Research shows that youth begin to form attitudes about careers as early as elementary school—attitudes that are predictive of the careers they eventually pursue. This means the time for impactful, meaningful career exploration is now. 

YES Career Explorations are intentionally designed to address this need. They provide a critical mechanism for introducing youth to a broad spectrum of career options and helping them envision the possibilities ahead.