Get Smart: Free Tech & Design Workshops Teach Teens to Make Apps

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Teenagers are being encouraged to learn technology and design thanks to a new series of free workshops offered by AIGA, the professional association for design. Set in Harlem, the first Inspire/Make program drew inspiration from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For the "Making a Mobile App" workshop, participants chose their three favorite art pieces to create fully functional Android apps. "Be a Graphic Designer" focused on teaching the fundamentals of InDesign to create a poster for the museum. And "Electronics Prototyping with littleBits" allowed students to use LEGOs, triggers and sensors to create their own drawing machines that respond to motion or sound. The next series, in collaboration with the Brooklyn Public Library, will show participants how to make their own iBook using archived text. "We thought it would be good to expose these kids to cultural institutions and getting them to think about design and art at an early age. It's a good idea to start them off even before they get to college so kids can start to understand that this is fun and not intimidating," said Carla Echevarria, an AIGA board member. (Mashable)

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