STEM Saturday: Codebreaking with Mathematics - An Introduction to Cryptography

About this event

Meeting Room. This teen-led workshop explores the mathematics behind cryptography by introducing the foundations of modular arithmetic, substitution, and patterns through the classic Caesar and Vigenère ciphers. Students will learn about historical applications of advanced code breaking, how classic encryption methods work, practice classic encrypting and decrypting of messages, and discover the mathematics that powers modern security systems. Part of the STEM Saturdays Fall 2026 Series, where teen presenters lead fun and informative workshops on scientific topics. Occurs twice per month from September to November. Future Dates: September 26: Mission to Mars - Build a Mars Rover October 10: Make Your Own Slime with Eastlake High School's Science National Honor Society! October 24: Explosive Engineering - Detecting and Preventing Mount Rainier’s Volcanic Mudflows November 7: Young Engineers Lab: Build Your Own Arduino Memory Game! with the Sammamish Chapter of the Washington Youth Alliance November 21: Building Bridges Together - with Eastlake High School's Science National Honor Society Sponsored by the Friends of the Sammamish Library. All materials provided. Best suited for ages 8-12. Supplies limited to 30 participants. Space is extremely limited, first come first served. "Tickets" to the program will be available at the Info Desk 10 minutes before the start of the program.