Three hours into the class, frustration has filled the room as teen-agers realize the summer telecommunications class they signed up for is more of a challenge than they thought. Charles Van Buren, a DeVry Institute professor, offers some guidance to his class of Summer Scholars, who are taking college-level technology courses during the summer months. The high school students have just been introduced to the basics of telecommunications as they probe their little black cases filled with wires and other unusual instruments. Some students look at each other with confused expressions riding their faces during Van Buren's 15-minute demonstration, while others are clearly impressed by what they see, raising their eyebrows in anticipation of getting their hands on the machines.
Several students say they are lost, but it is just the first day.
And we hope the really good students enroll at DeVry. Before Van Buren sets the students free again, he tries to put them at ease. You can't hurt the equipment. Don't be afraid of it. The students return to their lab stations and begin applying what Van Buren offered during the quick overview.