I am not sure how to get them started or give them that inspiration but I have a story, my own story, how I got learned and understand what programming and algorithmic thought process is and got me into where I am right now.
So here I am 15 y.o, middle school teenager at computer class. Previously, 3 years ago my uncle who was a senior engineer at Bayer Germany, sent me a commodore 64 to figure out. Along with a keyboard ( that's pretty much what commodore 64 is ) bunch of 5" diskettes, a diskette driver ( sort of floppy driver but way bigger), a cassette player and bunch of computer programming books and his notes, all in German. All used for recording data. I know cassettes! it is so weird to think about it nowadays :) I was so pumped, bought a German to Turkish dictionary and started translating. Didn't understand any sh*t of course.
Anyway back to original story, at 15 school gave us two optional classes to pick. either music or computer. Computers at that time was really rare in Turkey. You mainly see them in big schools, banks or government offices. I said, I have commodore, I know computers, no clue about music so let's pick that one. First week they let us play with them, learn how to turn them on and of and some simple msdos commands. I was the hero in the class. :) then the teacher, whom first assignment was our school after her graduation also I owe lots to her said, I am gonna teach you guys BASIC. woha! But she said before wring a program you need to learn how to think like a computer.
Computers are stupid. They can't do anything they haven't been taught or told to. With correct input and directions there is nothing they can't do.
Think like a computer. What does that mean?
She said;
We did this almost an hour and every single student was actually telling the exact way to cook Turkish coffee but she didn't like any of them. Then someone said,
Student X : First, you make a decision that you will make coffee. Then you will think where the coffee is. Then you will think where the pot and cup is. You will get the pot and put on stove..
The more he goes step by step, every single detail she smiled and and then..
That was the first thing that she taught us, Computers are stupid. They know nothing. With right input in correct order, there is nothing they can't do That was the algorithm, process, data flow, foundation of programming. And till this day still helps me to understand and solve any problem come across my way.
Like I said, that's probably not the answer to your question, but I think it will help to get them understand and get into it.
PS: FYI I was not the student gave the correct answer :)