Learn the basics of web development (HTML/CSS/JavaScript). Hands-on activities and live coding will help students build confidence and real skills

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Taught by a HiTech instructor.

Allow 20 min.

Play with our toys, read a board book, and visit with others.

Did you know that programming is a key component in many technologies used today? Learn about the basics of programming, robotics, and automation in this hands-on lab with Artie.

Engineer Pinball games for the HiTech Carnival!  Build a table-top pinball machine, and use Arduino micro-controllers, sensors and software to keep score!

Registration required. Grades 6-12. 

Engineer a Skeeball Game for the HiTech Carnival!  Build this classic carnival game from scratch using Arduino micro-controllers, sensors and software to keep score of your game. Highest score wins!

Be catapulted into the adventure of solving mechanical problems with a catapult! Learn not just basic engineering, but also mechanical engineering techniques.  

Dive into Geology 

Get an introduction to the basics of Mendelian Genetics! We’ll explore topics such as inheritance patterns, genetic diversity, and genetic diseases using laws derived from Gregor Mendel’s important experiments.

Discover the basics of Java, a class-based, object-oriented language used to design applications. Learn data and expressions, using classes and objects, conditionals, and loops.

Dive into the world of special effects, through the view of a Makeup Artist! Students will learn the history and science behind the film industry’s own movie magic.

Learn how the digital single lens reflex camera is engineered to utilize part of the electromagnetic spectrum we call visible light. Obtain hands on experience using a DSLR camera and learn numerous picture-taking techniques.

Come and design your own rocket that soars well beyond the roof of the library. Learn about how engineers generate and manipulate forces that propel projectiles thousands of feet into the air. 

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Learn how the creation of art is influenced by science and do experiments in chemistry, fluid dynamics, and color theory to make amazing works of art!

JUST FOR ME

Ages 3-6; 30 min. Limited Attendance. Ticket (name tag) required.

Join Jack and Annie on a daring mission to the Galapagos Islands. Learn about tortoises and volcanoes, and participate in related activities. Ages 6-10, 45 minutes. Ticketed.

Ages 2-3 years with adult; 30 min. Ticket required.

Preschoolers develop skills for talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing through stories, songs, fingerplays, and rhymes. 

Meet with a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist from Howard County Health Department  

JUST FOR ME

Ages 3-6; 30 min. Limited Attendance. Ticket (name tag) required.

This course will cover a review of basic chemistry concepts and will guide students to build and design chemistry-related carnival games.  

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Taught by a HiTech instructor.

Creating sound has been a preoccupation of humanity since the beginning of time. But what is sound? How is it created, and how can we manipulate it into the variety of tones, pitches, and timbres that become symphony or cacophony?

Dive into the exciting world of chemical engineering through real-world challenges!

Exploring the intricacies and design processes of model LEGO car engines using a mechanical engineering mindset.

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Taught by a HiTech instructor.

Register once for all sessions.

Want to know how to garden without soil? Learn about the structure of plants and explore various hydroponics technologies to grow food using less space and less water.

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Have you ever looked at a digital illustration and wondered “How did they do that?”  Learn tips, tricks, and the steps to creating your own illustration in the iPad app, Procreate. 

Registration required. Grades 6-12. 

The students will do a deep dive into some of the marine environments they see often but know little about.

Discover the world of post-production! Learn the skills of a film/video editor while acquiring an understanding of the technology involved with the profession. Edit video and audio using iMovie and Logic Pro X.

Join us for an in person discussion of We Solve Murders by Richard Osman on July 17th, 2025, at 12pm at the Central Branch.

Jump into photo card decorating—a simple and creative craft that’s sweeping through anime and k-pop fandoms alike!

Learn how the creation of art is influenced by science and do experiments in chemistry, fluid dynamics, and color theory to make amazing works of art!

We hope to see you at Thunder Hill Elementary School (9357 Mellenbrook Rd, Columbia, MD 21045) from 12:30-2:00pm in the bus loop.

HCPSS 2025 Summer Lunch Meal Program provided by Howard County Public School.

Using the iPad Pro and animation apps such a FlipAClip and Animation Sketch, students will learn how to create their own 2D animations using their own drawings and the principles of squash and stretch.

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Did you know that programming is a key component in many technologies used today? Robotics and automation are two of the areas that are at the forefront of technologies that require programming knowledge.

Students will learn about protecting their information, recognizing fishing scams, navigating social media and different types of cyber attacks.

Lights on, lights off! Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes when you flip a light switch on the wall or press the ON button of a battery-powered fan in the summer?

Learn how to create digital designs using Adobe Illustrator!

Registration preferred. Grades 6-12. 

Taught by a HiTech instructor.

This class is being held Mon - Fri, register once for all sessions.

Get hands-on experience in the ancient art of paper folding! Students will see how origami can be used to create structures like solar panels, bridges, and packing materials.

Read and discuss light-hearted books that will make us smile. The books will talk about love, hope, and grace. They will include humor, and perhaps some snark, to spice things up. It will be fun! Join us. 

3rd Thursdays: 2 - 3 pm

Ages 9 - 11.  Registration required. 

Join us for access to the sound booth and other HiTech equipment to record and mix music or create movies.

Registration preferred. Grades 6-12. 

Taught by a HiTech instructor.

Engineer a Strongman Game for the HiTech Carnival!  Build this classic carnival game from scratch using Arduino micro-controllers, pressure sensors, and LED lights. Whoever can light up the most lights wins!

Using a variety of software and techniques, design your own keepsakes that you can print using the Glowforge™ laser cutter and engraver! 

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Taught by a HiTech instructor.

Using a variety of software and techniques, design your own keepsakes that you can print using the Glowforge™ laser cutter and engraver! 

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Taught by a HiTech instructor.

Using the principles of engineering, help us keep our carnival cool this year by building the water mister arch and a dunk tank!

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Taught by a HiTech instructor.

Learn the structure and design of artificial intelligence. Explore the concepts needed to program a human-to-robot interactive conversation and investigate recent technological advances like the Robotic Dog!

Explore the use of color and tie-dye techniques in this fun class.  Students will tie-dye drawstrings bags, pencil cases, and fabric that will be part of a larger project for the Carnival.

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

This course will cover an overview of the topics in zoology, including cell biology, taxonomy, major vertebrate groups, physiology, genetics, evolution, and ecology. Activities related to the course material will be completed each day.

Ages 9 - 12.  Registration required. 

2nd-3rd grade.  45 minutes.  Registration required.

You will not get a high score on standardized tests just because you excel in high school - these tests require specialized prep. A Princeton Review expert shares tips, tricks, and strategies that will help you get the score you need.

Light up the night with a decorative tea light cover – electronic tea light included. Use Tinkercad to design your custom 3D design and learn the steps to prepare your design for 3D printing. 

Third Thursday Trivia: Celebrating 85 Years of HCLS! 

All ages with adult; 30 min.  Ticket required.

Explore the genre of nonfiction and join our discussions on third Thursdays!
 

Jul 17: Airplane Mode by Shahnaz Habib

Aug 21: Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides

Explore the genre of nonfiction and join our discussions on third Thursdays!
 

Jul 17: Airplane Mode by Shahnaz Habib

Aug 21: Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides

We will be discussing Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

  By using free MIDI songs, you can build an accompaniment track into your composition.  Learn how to edit the MIDI files, add a vocal track, and save your song in the recording booth at the Glenwood branch + Makerspace.  Bring a US