Accelerated software development experiences for high school students

For the past three summers the Rapid Response Institute at Monmouth University has conducted a program in which high school students passionate about computer technology work with University professors to create prototype software systems that have real world deliverable focused applications. The program has been a success in many dimensions and has exposed the students to a unique learning experience, a systems perspective, process in building software systems, working with external stakeholders, teamwork, and exposure to many technologies, including ones that are just emerging. The program has encouraged innovation, initiative, and adaptability and has resulted in useful software prototypes in a variety of areas including agents, web sites for real-time data, and a complex emergency management application. One of these has evolved to a production system.