TECH CORPS Texas, in association with the Houston Public Library WeCAN Works initiative, the City of Houston, the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, and the Houston Worksource; and with funding support from H-E-B, are pleased to announce the successful launch of the Community Help Desk Program. This program is the latest in TECH CORPS Texas’ continuing commitment to deliver meaningful, timely programs to meet students’ and communities needs. The Community Help Desk Summer Program was designed for high school students, college students, and young adults possessing the potential and desire to succeed. Through the program, these eager but often disadvantaged youth, were armed with positive skills and experiences to overcome employment barriers. Students were encouraged to aim for higher education, degrees, and certifications, in order to become independent, productive members of the growing technology-driven workforce.
Involving 40 students, the 30-hour program ran from June 26 to August 7, and included basic skills tutoring, various technology topics (Computer hardware, troubleshooting basics, basic networking, emerging technologies and technical writing, digital media, databases, and programming), interactive technology workshops, life skills workshops, career exploration, and professional development guest speakers representing companies in the Houston area.
Guest speakers included Leon Collins, Director of Development at Phelps-Stokes Foundation, Perry Busby, Change Control Manager at The Planet, Gina Clarke-Anderson, Metro Marketing Director-Texas at DeVry University, Leisa Holland-Nelson, President/COO of Content Active LLC, and Doug Erwin, President/CEO of The Planet. These speakers helped the students to develop key relationships with technology mentors who shared their experiences and perspectives. Participants also developed collaborative problem solving skills with hands-on projects, increased their math and were demonstrated educational and employment pathways into the technology arena.
The TECH CORPS Texas Community Help Desk Summer Program has proven to be a valuable educational resource that can be utilized on behalf of the entire community. TECH CORPS Texas plans to offer an expanded, 32 week version of the program in fall 2009.
If you would like more information on this or other TECH CORPS Texas programs, please call us at (713) 895-3775, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
TECH CORPS Texas is a Houston-based, 501(c)3 organization that believes in order to ensure America’s technologically literate workforce of tomorrow, we must take a holistic approach to growing, nurturing, and supporting students today. Our mission is to enhance K-12 education through the innovative use of technology, which we achieve by recruiting, training and supporting tech-savvy volunteers, and moving them into schools to support teachers, students, infrastructure, and programs.
