College Times

Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Calendar

Media Credit: Ryan Ruiz

If Matthew Broderick taught us anything in 1983's "WarGames," it's that young people, with the right technology, really do hold a lot of power.

Not that any of the 200 students from Arizona's two and four-year colleges taking part in the Avnet Tech Games are planning on accidentally starting World War III any time soon (or starring in "Deck the Halls" - which might even be worse), instead they are learning what it takes to succeed in today's modern technology-driven workplace.

Each of the competition's nine categories is presented in a game-like setting, with teams of students advised by University of Advancing Technology faculty members.

This isn't your older brother's Doom, either.

Students will be presented with difficult tasks like building and assembling the fastest computer, presenting an integration solution to an immediate business problem and building a robot to navigate an obstacle course, much like "Inspector Gadget" (Broderick count: 3).

Each student on each of the nine categories' winning teams will win a $1,000 scholarship, and every participant will have the chance to mingle with event sponsors and executives from technologies companies.

Maybe one of these young tech-gurus can figure out how to keep Matthew Broderick from making movies forever? God willing.

Avnet Tech Games, University of Advancing Technology, 2625 W. Baseline Road, Tempe, 602.383.8228, Saturday, April 5, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., free

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