Press Releases

IT Pros Needed to Mentor Teens in New York City

Downers Grove, Ill. — As part of its NextUp initiative to interest teens in tech careers, CompTIA is partnering with the New York Academy of Sciences on a series of mentoring opportunities. CompTIA is recruiting its members and certified IT professionals to work with the Academy’s Hack Your Health curriculum, which helps students discover how tech know-how can be connected to an interest in health and fitness.

Funded by CompTIA and managed by Creating IT Futures, NextUp selected the New York Academy of Sciences as one of its primary partners to help spark curiosity and passion for technology in teens.

“One of the key findings we uncovered in our research last year is that for teens to become interested in tech careers they have to learn directly from IT professionals about why they love their jobs,” said Charles Eaton, executive vice president, social innovation, CompTIA. “We’ve helped the Academy’s Hack Your Health program with a $25,000 donation, but just as important, we’re asking our members and certification holders to volunteer and show teens why tech is such a great career path.”

The Academy is conducting a STEM Camp for middle-schoolers on Feb. 21-24, 2017. About two dozen volunteers are needed to help deploy the Hack Your Health curriculum to about 150 student participants over two days (Feb. 23 and 24). Students will rotate through different stations to generate data, work on laptops to learn Scratch, analyze their data and do additional hands-on activities. Volunteer mentors will manage a station and work with the kids to complete the activities. A volunteer engagement will last about three hours for a morning or afternoon session.

“The New York Academy of Sciences’ partnership with CompTIA is particularly important to us as part of our long-term goal to provide quality STEM education opportunities for students worldwide,” said Ellis Rubinstein, president and CEO.  “We are pleased to have their IT professionals supporting the Academy’s Hack Your Health curriculum to promote teen interest in technology as well as health and fitness.”

Volunteers also are needed later in the year for the Academy’s Hack Your Health one-day workshops (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) which are usually held on Saturdays and school holidays. 

In addition, CompTIA mentors are invited to apply to the Academy’s other mentoring programs such as 1:1 virtual mentoring programs for STEM students from around the world. These programs include programs for high school and university students and require a year-long commitment for one to two hours a week.

Volunteers can register at https://nyas.formstack.com/forms/winter_stem_camp_2017.

CompTIA: Building the Foundation for Technology's Future
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world's leading technology association, with approximately 2,000 member companies, 3,000 academic and training partners, over 100,000 registered users and more than two million IT certifications issued. CompTIA's unparalleled range of programs foster workforce skills development and generate critical knowledge and insight –  building the foundation for technology’s future. Visit CompTIA online, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Creating IT Futures
Founded by CompTIA in 1998, Creating IT Futures is a 501(c)(3) charity with the mission of helping populations under-represented in the information technology industry and individuals who are lacking in opportunity to prepare for, secure, and be successful in IT careers. Learn more at www.CreatingITFutures.org.

About the New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that, since 1817, has been driving innovative solutions to society’s challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy. With more than 20,000 members in 100 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity.  Please visit us online at http://www.nyas.org/and follow us on Twitter @NYASciences.

Press Contact:
Lisa Fasold
Creating IT Futures
630-678-8558
lfasold@comptia.org