Portsmouth celebrates Ohio Tech Day

The second annual Ohio Tech Day kicked off last week. Ohio Tech Day is a statewide celebration of technology in Ohio held annually on the final Friday of September with the goal of raising awareness about the role of tech and innovation in Ohio’s economy and inspiring the next generation of tech leaders.

Ohio Tech Day showcased amazing people, companies, and ideas across the Buckeye State. In Portsmouth, the SSU Kricker Innovation Hub teamed up with the SSU Center for Lifelong Learning, the Verizon Innovative Learning Initiative, and OhioX to host a fun-filled, educational day for 150 sixth and seventh grade students from both Portsmouth Middle School and Sciotoville Community School. Students visited Shawnee State’s Campus and participated in a number of tech activities centered on coding, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics, and more.

“It was truly a great day,” said Hub Director David Kilroy. “Tech and innovation are only made possible by the people who make it happen. And for Ohio to be competitive into the 21st Century, we’ll need a strong tech-focused workforce. That’s why we are working to inspire the next generation of tech workers and entrepreneurs right here in Southern Ohio.”

Students at Ohio Tech Day were also invited to participate in the next Verizon Innovative Learning Camp held in the Summer of 2023. The free program open to all 6th-8th graders in Scioto County helps empower middle school students to explore STEM subjects, learn problem-solving skills and gain exposure to career opportunities in technology fields. Participating students will receive mentorship, access to next-gen technology and hands-on training. The initiative provides engaging programming where 6th-8th grade students can learn design thinking, 3D printing, augmented reality, and social entrepreneurship.

“Through campus and community partnerships we were able to provide a great STEM experience,” said Kimberly Ellison of the Center for Lifelong Learning. Kimberly also helps organize the Verizon Innovative Learning Camp at SSU. “Hopefully, our event sparked, or increased a curiosity in STEM areas for students to consider pursuing further education in them.”