Work in progress-recruiting Hispanic students into computing through community service learning

The San José State University College of Engineering implemented a new approach for recruiting Hispanic students into computing disciplines and careers through the Hispanic Computer Brigade (HCB) initiative. To support the HCB, we received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a one-year pilot program for Hispanic students from the San Jose East Side Union High School District. The high school students began the program with a summer camp in Summer 2009, continued to learn and engage computing throughout the 2009-2010 academic year with community service learning, and will end with a local event where students will share their computing projects with high school faculty, SJSU faculty, parents/guardians, and the community. Students are learning computer and programming skills and processes in weekly meetings with the help of high school teachers and San Jose State University student mentors.