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America on Tech is seeking initial supporters to replicate and scale our work in Miami through our premiere tech program for underestimated youth. AOT’s Miami program continuum will begin with TECH360, initially introduced in New York City in 2014. During Summer/Fall 2022, TECH360 will introduce 100 Miami high school rising juniors/seniors (primarily youth who identify as BIPOC) to coding through web design and web development. The program will teach industry-aligned technical and professional skills to enable youth to gain knowledge of key coding languages and frameworks including HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap. TECH360 will conclude with a Demo Day competition where youth are broken into teams to compete in the development of a website design. Graduating students will receive stipends of $500. These financial incentives are an equitable programmatic component to ensure participation and retention by talented young people who might otherwise not be able to participate in AOT. Of the 100 Miami youth engaged: (1) 80% will complete TECH360 graduation requirements; (2) 80% will complete all TECH360 projects; (3) 80% will report an increased understanding of the skills taught; (4) 40% of graduates will continue onto additional programs in the AOT continuum.
Leaders & Partners
Impact
“When I first joined AOT as a high school junior, I could not fathom the idea of being able to craft websites utilizing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, let alone get an internship opportunity at the end of it. I was just a nervous 15-year-old girl who had no confidence in her coding abilities. Fast forward three years later, and now I can confidently say that I have had two enriching internship experiences with AOT: one with Sapphire Digital and another with Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre. Outside of the actual internship, the steps before securing the internship effectively mirrored the process of applying for a job in the job market. Nothing was handed to you. Knowing that I got an internship based on an interview in which I displayed my truest self was rewarding and is something that sticks out to me when I look back on my AOT internship experiences. All in all, I hope to continue staying connected with AOT, whether it be through my current position as a peer mentor or through other similar opportunities.”
Current Metrics
85% of AOT students have been accepted into college computer science/technology programs or have obtained a career in the field.
Over 3,500 high school youth have been trained and graduated from AOT – prepared for additional academic and workforce experiences in the tech sector.
Of AOT students, 100% are BIPOC; 56% are female/non-binary; and 100% live in LMI households and communities.
Impact
“When I first joined AOT as a high school junior, I could not fathom the idea of being able to craft websites utilizing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, let alone get an internship opportunity at the end of it. I was just a nervous 15-year-old girl who had no confidence in her coding abilities. Fast forward three years later, and now I can confidently say that I have had two enriching internship experiences with AOT: one with Sapphire Digital and another with Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre. Outside of the actual internship, the steps before securing the internship effectively mirrored the process of applying for a job in the job market. Nothing was handed to you. Knowing that I got an internship based on an interview in which I displayed my truest self was rewarding and is something that sticks out to me when I look back on my AOT internship experiences. All in all, I hope to continue staying connected with AOT, whether it be through my current position as a peer mentor or through other similar opportunities.”
Current Metrics
85% of AOT students have been accepted into college computer science/technology programs or have obtained a career in the field.
Over 3,500 high school youth have been trained and graduated from AOT – prepared for additional academic and workforce experiences in the tech sector.
Of AOT students, 100% are BIPOC; 56% are female/non-binary; and 100% live in LMI households and communities.
Goals
Demographic
AOT serves 16–24-year-olds who identify with under-represented, racial/ethnic backgrounds and are living at or below the poverty line.
Funding Goal
AOT requires a total of $250,000 to bring its programs to Miami. We have secured an initial grant of $50,000 from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation.
Impact Goal
Within three years, AOT plans to have graduated 750 Miami alumni from its programs with 85% going on to higher education or careers in the technology sector to begin to change the very face of Miami’s tech sector to be more representative of people of color.
