2,000 High Schoolers Come To Tech Expo

Thousands of area students flocked to Holt Arena Thursday for the annual Tech Expo.

With a hot air balloon flying indoors, ISU pulled out all the stops for the teenagers coming to the expo.

More than 2,000 high schoolers from across the region came to the event, most of them very happy to get out of pop quizzes and lectures for the day.

“I’d probably be in school doing some kind of worksheet, something boring like that,? sophomore Nathan Page said.

The ISU College of Technology hosts the event with the local school district.

All the robots, machines, and demonstrations are there for a simple reason: to get high schoolers thinking about career paths they hadn’t considered before.

“It’s a fun opportunity to come and get your hands on in some experiential learning and just figure out what kind of opportunities are available,? ISU College of Technology spokesman Stuart Summers said.

Olivia Webb was one of the students walking around the expo and soaring four feet above it in the hot air balloon.

Of the 70 booths and demonstrations, one is particular caught her attention.

“I really like the firefighter place over there. I was really cool, that’d be something. Saving lives is always fun. Well, not fun, but it makes you feel good,? Webb said.

Getting all these students to the expo was an effort in itself.

ISU said it realized falling budgets have meant less money for transportation in high schools across the area, so the university footed much of the bill to bring to the students.

“We’re busing these students in, and that’s the big deal. A lot of students aren’t able to have the field trips they used to have. So it’s a great opportunity to come and still be able to experience something, learn something and have some fun,? Summers said.