Jerry Guenther | iHub at Northeast Community College
NORFOLK, Neb. – The iHub at Northeast Community College partnered with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s School of Computing and UNL Extension to host a one-day micro:bit Adventure Camp for fourth through sixth grade students.
The camp, held at Intersect Coworking and Incubator in downtown Norfolk on Friday, October 10, gave students a chance to explore coding, circuitry, and engineering through hands-on activities that made learning both fun and inspiring.
The camp was intentionally scheduled on a no-school day for area districts, creating an opportunity for students to spend the day learning and experimenting outside of the traditional classroom. Nine participants attended from across northeast Nebraska, representing multiple schools and homeschool associations.
Using micro:bits, which are pocket-sized programmable computers, students learned how to design and code their own flashing name tags and send wireless messages and emojis to friends across the room. The day culminated with a high-energy treasure hunt where students used micro:bits to track hidden “treasures” using radio signal clues.
In between coding sessions, participants explored simple electrical circuits and took on engineering challenges, building towers and bridges that encouraged teamwork and problem-solving.
“This kind of partnership is exactly what drives innovation and opportunity across our state,” said Erin Sharpe, director of the iHub at Northeast Community College. “When students can learn by doing, when they can build something, code it, and watch it come to life, they begin to see what’s possible right here in Nebraska. We’re so thankful for the collaboration and for everyone who helped make this experience possible. This is how we grow our state and inspire the next generation of creators.”
One student summed up the excitement of the day, saying, “We should do this every week after school.”
“It was such a joy to see students light up as they explored what coding, radio, and engineering can do,” said Shuai Nie, assistant professor of Computing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “I’m deeply grateful to our partners at Northeast Community College and the Nebraska Extension for their incredible support and collaboration in making this co-designed camp a success.”
The camp marked the first collaboration between the iHub and the School of Computing. Both institutions hope to continue working together to expand access to STEM learning opportunities and spark interest in technology, engineering, and innovation among young students in Nebraska.
Want to Learn More?
If your school or organization would like more information on robotics, ways to partner with the iHub and robotics outreach this upcoming year, please contact Erin Sharpe at esorensen@northeast.edu
More details at: https://northeast.edu/news/2025/10/ihub-and-unl-school-of-computing-partner-to-inspire-future-coders