Since 2003, the ACM SIGGRAPH Education Committee and the ACM SIGGRAPH Pioneers have sponsored the Spend a Week at SIGGRAPH Student Program, which brings high school sophomores and juniors to the the annual SIGGRAPH conference. This year, the two groups are eager to continue the tradition — but they need your help.

In a world where start-ups can rocket from nothing to billion-dollar companies by riding the razor edge of advances in computing, there's a surprising shortage of young people interested in careers in computer science and technology. Young women and minorities are particularly underrepresented in the world of computing.

If you’ll be at SIGGRAPH 2016 for a significant amount of time between Sunday, July 24 and Thursday, July 28, consider volunteering to serve as a mentor for a bright young student interested in learning more about computer graphics, interactive techniques and cutting-edge technology. Being a mentor won’t cost you a lot of time (each mentor averages about 30 minutes a day), and the personal rewards are significant. The idea is simple: to enable each student to experience computer graphics up close and personal, and have an expert as a consultant and guide.

The Spend a Week at SIGGRAPH program is supported by the ACM SIGGRAPH Education Committee, and is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. The value of the program is apparent in the letters received by past participants.

Those interested in volunteering should please contact Kathleen Milnes or Marc J. Barr.