09 - Power On!

Bringing Power On! to Life (on Belize Time 😉)

We were excited for our final lesson of Day 5—a session unlike anything we had done before.

Last year, we had donated 30 copies of Power On!, a graphic novel by Jean J. Ryoo and Jane Margolis (MIT Press, 2022), to Pathlight Belize. The book follows four teenage friends from diverse backgrounds as they navigate the world of computing. Along the way, they grapple with who gets access to computing, how bias shows up in technology, and why it’s critical for everyone to understand the power—and responsibility—of computing today. We hoped the book could spark reflection about equity in tech and inspire students to think broadly about both who belongs in computing and the role computing might play in their future.

For this session, we asked a group of Pathlight students to read and discuss the first two chapters ahead of our visit. These chapters introduce the main characters and reveal how each young person’s background shapes their opportunities and goals.

We planned a 90-minute interactive lesson:

  • 20 minutes for introductions and icebreakers
  • 10 minutes discussing what students had taken away from the first two chapters
  • 20 minutes reading and discussing Chapter 4 together
  • 40 minutes for a creative group challenge: designing posters around key themes from the book and presenting them to the class.
Students working on a message of inspiration for a friend. They are sitting around tables arranged in a horse shoe around a projector. Most of the students are girls. Many are wearing white school uniforms.

The session was set to begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Pathlight Center in Belize City. But when the clock struck 3:30, only two of the 20 expected students had arrived. Word came in that one of the buses transporting students was stuck in traffic. By 4:00, fewer than half had made it in.

At 4:15, still missing a few students (who would continue to trickle in), we decided to get started. With only 45 minutes left, we quickly scaled back the plan. Introductions were trimmed to 10 minutes, and we spent just 5 minutes reviewing Chapters 1 and 2.

Fortunately, we still had time for the most engaging part: an interactive group reading of Chapter 4. We had worried that students might be hesitant to volunteer—but they jumped right in and we soon had a full complement of readers. Their heartfelt readings brought the story to life. Laughter and encouragement filled the room, and the students clearly enjoyed stepping into the characters’ shoes.

Female student proudly holding up a copy of the book and of her message. Too faint to read in the picture, it is a list of affirmations, the last of which is 'I am enough!' She is wearing a very broad smile!

With no time left for the poster challenge, we closed the session with a quicker creative task: asking each student to write a message of inspiration or advice they might give to a friend. Their responses were thoughtful and empowering. Common themes included:

  • Believe in yourself
  • Pursue your dreams
  • Don’t shy away from a challenge

Though the lesson didn’t go exactly as planned, the students were fully engaged, had fun, and left feeling uplifted. The MSU team also walked away with a valuable takeaway: when working in Belize, be prepared for “Belize Time”—a more relaxed and flexible approach to schedules than we’re used to in the U.S. What mattered most was not the clock, but the connection.

Two female students holding up their books to pose for a photograph.
A male student holding up his book to pose for a photograph

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

About This Blog

Image
This spring, Teresa VanderSloot , Director of Broadening Participation K12 Women in Engineering Recruitment and Outreach at Michigan State University (MSU), and I were honored to lead a team of four Computer Science majors —Sania and Sanaye, both recent graduates, and Joshua and Benjamin, both rising seniors—on a week-long educational adventure in Belize. Our goal? Introduce students in 1st through 5th forms (the equivalent of 9 th grade through a first year in higher-ed) to the power of physical computing and how they can use it to solve real-world problems in their communities. A dedicated team at PathLight International Belize (PLB)—a nonprofit committed to empowering Belizean youth through education—hosted our visit, facilitating a vibrant exchange of knowledge, creativity, and culture. This blog chronicles our journey—one filled with hands-on learning, meaningful connections, and unforgettable moments—as we worked tog...
Read more

12 - Old Belize

Image
An Afternoon at Old Belize After wrapping up our final micro:bit session in Belize City on Friday, May 16, we headed to Old Belize for one last adventure together. The plan was simple: enjoy a good meal, relax by the water, and soak in a little more of Belize’s culture and history before the trip came to a close. We started with lunch in the open-air restaurant, where the breeze off the lagoon was the perfect backdrop. From our tables we could see Kukumba Beach, a massive one-million-gallon saltwater pool designed to look like a natural beach, complete with coral sand, thatched palapas, a towering waterslide, and even a Tarzan rope. Next came the much-anticipated ride on the Baby Jaguar Express, a small train that took us through the Old Belize Museum. The exhibits brought Belize’s history vividly to life — from a model of a traditional Garifuna home, where we c...
Read more

06 - Orchid Bay

Image
After our busy Monday and a full morning teaching robotics at Pathlight in Orange Walk, our Pathlight hosts had arranged an excursion to Orchid Bay, a peaceful waterfront community on the northern coast of Belize. The drive from Orange Walk took about an hour and a half, which turned out to be just long enough for Sanaye, Sanya, and Joshua to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Orchid Bay is known for its mix of vacation villas and private residences, with shady coconut palms, calm turquoise waters, and a laid-back vibe. The area has a history as a fishing and trading spot for coastal communities. Today, it’s a quiet getaway popular with both visitors and Belizeans. By the time we rolled in, the afternoon sun was warm and inviting, and the saltwater pool sparkled. Sanaye and Sanya wasted no time slipping into the pool to cool off. Laura attempted to snorkel off the...
Read more