This summer, Brooklyn teens can attend a free web design and development camp hosted by Nike and America On Tech — and get paid to do it!
Teens between 15 and 19 years old that live in the ZIP codes 11239, 11233, 11212, 11207 and 11208 are eligible to apply for the free three week program and will get paid $750 for their time. And no previous experience is needed is for the virtual camp.
The students will be taught industry-aligned technical and professional skills, including HTML, CSS and Bootstrap, and they will work in teams to create and present a final website during the end-of-program Demo Day competition.
Each week will include a technologist guest speaker and during weeks one and two, students will attend a career day with employees from tech companies, including Nike.
Nike employees will also be featured speakers, panelists and presenters for the camp, and serve as judges during the final competition.
America On Tech CEO and East New York Native Jessica Santana said Nike awarded America on Tech $50,000 earlier this year to support its virtual tech programs for East New York and Brownsville youth as part of Nike's Black Community Commitment.
She said that while Nike was known for its apparel and sneakers, it was focused on technology and recognized how important technological skills were to the future workforce — as did America on Tech.
"America on Tech really wants young people to see themselves as creators of technology," she said.
"At the core, we believe that the skills and exposure they are going to gain in this program will give them the opportunity to build products and services for problems that they are uniquely positioned to solve."
She said many of America On Tech's students and their families had experienced high levels of economic stress during this coronavirus pandemic due to reduced hours and lost wages.
"We believe that there is a tremendous need for programming in East New York and Brownsville and this camp can be part of the solution to bring digital skills to students in the area."
Santana added that the $750 stipend awarded to students who complete the course was given to level the playing field, and give students the opportunity to participate in training programs "that don't make them choose between non-relevant summer employment and opportunities that may align with their career interests."
"We know that for many young people, making money to aid their families or move forward their education is important to them," she said.
"We value their time and want them to know that we understand that money may be prohibitive to their participation."
The camps are being held from July 6 - July 23, and July 26 - August 13. For more information, visit America On Tech.
