My Day at Intel
Thelema Davis, Age 13
iUrban Teen
Imagine being able to spend a day at Intel, free to probe the staff with whatever questions you had about processors, their jobs, or just the company in general. On January 22, a group of over 100 fortunate iUrban teens did exactly that! Intel staff provided a continental breakfast, a Panda Express lunch, and a full day of hands on learning.
The Second Annual Intel MLK day included a Jones Farm Tech Innovation Space Tour, an Edison Workshop and competition, virtual reality experiences using Oculus Rift, a raffle for Intel laptops featuring Intel’s newest processor 9, and Speed Mentoring Sessions with Intel employees – some who flew in especially for the event.
In the Edison workshop, the students were introduced to the startup sequence and Arduino IDE, challenged to edit the sketch code, tasked to find the Edison board’s COM port number, and invited to interact with the “smart pet” using sensors. The Oculus Rift program was something I personally experienced. Being immersed in a video game instead of just seeing it is an exhilarating activity and one I would readily enjoy again!
Another great learning experience was the speed-mentoring session where the students talked one-on-one with employees about what they do and how they achieved their success. In my group, our mentor was Todd. He stressed the importance of communication and making the most of the access we have to start designing now. Mary, the keynote speaker shared a heartfelt message that “success equals skills, courage, and perseverance.” She said “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. knew the power of technology and media” and we should all strive to be like him.
All in all, the iUrban Teen 2016 Intel MLK Day, staffed by a committed group of Intel volunteers, was a huge hit! The day closed with a raffle where four students each won one of the latest Intel laptops. Several other ticket holders won fun prizes and each attendee walked away with an Intel bag full of goodies. Most importantly, however, was the spark that ignited the creative minds of the future engineers, software designers, architects, and the countless other occupations we students have begun to explore.
Thelema Davis, 13
iUrban Teen – iWrite Reporter
iUrban Teen Talented Tenth Member
About Thelema
Thelema Davis attended her first iUrban Teen summit in 2013 and has participated in several industry tours, successfully completed the iSpeak and iCode programs, and most recently joined the iWrite program. Her interest in writing peaked after she interviewed Portland’s Mayor at iUrban’s inaugural breakfast in 2015. In 2016, Thelema is looking forward to honing her leadership skills and connecting with other youth in the Talented Tenth group, iUrban’s teen council. In her spare time she enjoys acting, singing, reading, and spending time with friends. Thelema plans to someday pursue a career in designing.
