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MEETING OF THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND THANK YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN SUPPORTING THE SUCCESS OF OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS.
THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD IN HYBRID MODE AS BOTH AN IN-PERSON AND A VIRTUAL MEETING ON MICROSOFT TEAMS AND HTV AS THE CHAIR AND PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE COMMITTEE.
I'M PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 5, 1 0.127 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE APPLICABLE TO GOVERN A GOVERNMENTAL BODY THAT EXTENDS INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES.
UM, ALL OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY AS MICROSOFT TEAMS VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS. I'M COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS ROS, CHAIR OF THE CHOCOLATE AND YOUTH COMMITTEE.
I'M REALLY PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY, UM, THE COMMITTEE OF VICE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, UH, BEFORE WE WE GET GOING HERE? WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MADAM CHAIR.
ALWAYS EXCITED TO HEAR, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT'S IMPLEMENTED, BEING IMPLEMENTED TO HELP OUR, UH, YOUNGEST CITIZENS, AS YOU SAY, AND CERTAINLY, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, THE PARKS WILL BE ENGAGING IN.
AND SO, UM, JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT TECH CONNECT AND HOW IT'S GONNA, UH, BE BENEFICIAL.
AND ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, UH, THE, THE CHAIR, THE DIRECTOR RATHER, UH, FOR PROVIDING LEADERSHIP AND JOBS FOR OUR STUDENTS, UH, SOME OF OUR INTERNS.
SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, WE ARE ALSO JOINED HERE IN CHAMBERS WITH, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, WHO'S HERE IN PERSON AND ONLINE WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, AMY PECK, AND THEN WE HAVE STAFF IN, IN, UM, IN THE, IN THE CHAMBERS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE.
AND ONLINE WE ALSO HAVE, UM, STAFF FROM, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
I'D ALSO, WELL, WHILE I'M LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM, WANNA WELCOME, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, KENNETH ALLEN OF THE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, UH, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR DEBORAH LATHAN, WHO YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM LATER.
AND, AND, UM, DIRECTOR, UM, OLI KOSKA, UM, THE WHO'S LEADS, LEADS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EDUCATION, AND NIKIA LEWIS, ALSO FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND, UM, ANDY IKIN, WHO'S THE, UM, THE DIRECTOR FOR THE, UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AM I MISSING ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR, FOR JOINING US.
IF YOU'RE AN INTERN, WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? JUST WAVE.
UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER GROUP OF INTERNS THAT WILL BE JOINING A LITTLE BIT.
THEY, THEY ARE IN A THIRD DAY OF TRAINING, YOU KNOW, FOR TECH CONNECT, SO THEY'RE STILL JUST COMING, AND THEY'LL BE, THEY'LL BE FILING IN IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO YOU'LL GET TO MEET THEM TOO.
SO, UH, WE'LL FIRST ADDRESS A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS FOR THIS HYBRID MEETING.
COPIES OF TODAY'S AGENDA AND PRESENTATION ARE POSTED ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEB PAGE FOR CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP BY NOON TODAY TO SPEAK AT THE MEETING.
AND, UM, AS THE DEADLINE TO SIGN UP WAS NOON, WE WILL NOT HEAR FROM ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
SO, LET'S BEGIN BY REVIEWING THE FOUR GOALS OF THIS COMMITTEE.
THEY ARE TO BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE BY INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND DIALOGUE ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF A CHILD, AND THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT KIND OF PERSON THAT CHILD WILL GROW UP TO BE FOCUSING ON DATA AND WELLBEING INDICATORS AS TOOLS FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY, SEEKING EQUITY IN WORKFORCE READINESS, BEGINNING AT BIRTH, SUPPORTING OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN CITY DEPARTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE THE WEB OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
I WANNA THANK OUR PRESENTERS FOR COMING TODAY AND FOR SHARING IMPORTANT INFORMATION, UM, WITH CITY COUNCIL.
OUR FOCUS TODAY IS ON A STEM AND DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAM CALLED TECH CONNECT.
WHAT STARTED AS A MODEST COUNCIL OFFICE PROJECT HAS NOW GROWN INTO A CITY SPONSORED PROGRAM THAT HELPS BRING DIGITAL EQUITY AND STEM OPPORTUNITIES TO CHILDREN IN UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS.
AS A FORMER ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM TEACHER, WHEN I BECAME A COUNCIL MEMBER, I SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET A CRITICAL NEED FOR CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY, TO HAVE HIGHLY INTERACTIVE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES, TO LEARN AND EXPLORE AND BE COMFORTABLE WITH TECHNOLOGY.
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SINCE 2016, THE PROGRAM HAS OPERATED OUT OF MY COUNCIL DISTRICT OFFICE, WHERE IT HAS BEEN FUNDED AND STAFFED, UM, THROUGH MY COUNCIL BUDGET.BUT ALONG THE WAY, THE TECH TECH CONNECT ALSO PICKED UP MANY VERY GENEROUS SUPPORTERS, ESPECIALLY MAYOR TURNER AND HIS DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS.
YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT OUR PARTNERS LATER, UM, DURING DIRECTOR KOSKAS PRESENTATION.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO APPLE FOR JUMPING IN, IN A BIG WAY AS PART OF THEIR RACIAL AND DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAM.
THIS SUMMER TECH CONNECT WILL OPERATE AT 15 SITES, INCLUDING THREE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY CENTERS IN THREE OTHER HIGH NEED CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS, H PART DEPUTY DIRECTOR LATHAN WILL SHARE MORE INFO ABOUT THAT IN HER PRESENTATION.
WE WILL ALSO HEAR FROM, UM, NO, MORENO, A LONGTIME AND CURRENT TECH CONNECT INTERN.
AND THEN YOU'LL HEAR FROM CARISSA BANDA, WHO IS AS DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL, UM, PROJECTS IN MY COUNCIL OFFICE, MANAGES THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM.
SO, WELCOME DIRECTOR ON KOSKA, MS. LATHAN.
MS. VANDA, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION AND HEARING FROM YOU.
DIRECTOR KOSKA, YOU ARE UP FIRST.
UM, OLIVAR KOSKA IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EDUCATION, AND HER DEPARTMENT IS THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENT FOR THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM.
OH, BEFORE YOU START, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE A STAFF FROM, UM, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
I, UH, THERE'S A FULL CHAMBER, SO WHAT I DO AT 360.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO REINTRODUCE AND TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM, WHICH IS A TRULY REMARKABLE, REMARKABLE INITIATIVE THAT IS REALLY PAVING THE WAY FOR A MORE EQUITABLE VEGETABLE FUTURE FOR, UM, FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM WAS STARTED BY COUNCILWOMAN CISNEROS, AND SHE ENTRUSTED THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION TO CONTINUE LEADING THIS, UH, WONDERFUL INITIATIVE.
UM, AFTER HER TERM IS OVER, THE PROGRAM IS FORGING NEW PATHS IN BRINGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND NURTURING YOUNG MAS IN HOUSTON.
ONCE AGAIN, I REALLY WANNA THANK APPLE FOR THEIR GENEROSITY, AND I ALSO WANNA THANK LAMAR UNIVERSITY FOR THEIR ADVOCACY AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT THEY PROVIDED IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF THE, OF THE PROGRAM.
IN TODAY'S DIGITAL AGE, UM, ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND STEM EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR PERSONAL GROWTH AND SUCCESS.
HOWEVER, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE THESE FIELDS.
I'D LOVE TO PLUG IN A PERSONAL STORY HOW THIS RELATES TO ME AND WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'M FROM A DEVELOPING COUNTRY, MACEDONIA, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE WORLD OF THE DEVELOPED WORLD FOR US, IT HAPPENS 10 YEARS LATER.
SO, WHEN I WAS APPLYING FOR COLLEGES, UH, THERE WAS A, A INTERNET CAFE IN MY TOWN, UH, THAT PEOPLE HAD ACCESS, AND IT COSTED $4 PER MINUTE TO ACCESS THE INTERNET TO BE ABLE TO DO ANY KIND OF COLLEGE APPLICATIONS.
SO, IN ORDER FOR ME TO DO, TO FILL OUT MY COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, I WOULD QUICKLY GO ON THE WEBSITES, DOWNLOAD THE WEBSITES, PUT THEM ON A CD, DISCONNECT THE INTERNET, WORK ON MY APPLICATIONS, START BACK ON THE INTERNET, PAST MY ANSWERS, AND THAT'S HOW I GOT INTO COLLEGE.
SO TECHNOLOGY IS ALL AROUND US TODAY, BUT EVEN TODAY IN 2023, I GET TO MEET CHILDREN THAT HAVE NEVER SEEN A COMPUTER, THAT HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY KIND OF TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR LIVES.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY, AND THIS IS THE DETRIMENT TO THEIR FUTURE.
IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THESE TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENTS TODAY, THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH ANYBODY ELSE.
SO THIS IS WHY THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM IS SO SIGNIFICANT, IS IT IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL DISPARITIES PREVALENT IN OUR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON CHILDREN AGE 66 TO 13.
AND TECH CONNECT IS BREAKING BARRIERS BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT MOST.
BY OFFERING STEM PROGRAMS, WE REALLY ARE EMPOWERING YOUTH WITH THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO THRIVE IN THE DIGITAL WORLD.
THIS PROGRAM'S COMMITMENT TO LITERACY ENRICHMENT THROUGH SUMMER READING PROGRAMS ALSO AMPLIFIES THE IMPACT BY FOSTERING A LOVE FOR LEARNING CRITICAL THINKING AMONG OUR FUTURE
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LEADERS.BUT, YOU KNOW, TECH CONNECT DOESN'T STOP HERE TO ENSURE THE ENGAGEMENT AND TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF EXCITEMENT AND EXPLORATION.
THE PROGRAM HOSTS TECH CONNECT FAIRS TWICE A WEEK, STARTING JUNE 21ST.
YOU'LL GET TO HEAR THE DETAILS FROM OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, WHO IS GENEROUSLY OPERATIONALLY RUNNING OUR PROGRAM, BECAUSE WHAT IS BETTER THAN PUTTING CHILDREN IN NATURE TO LEARN ABOUT TECHNOLOGY? BECAUSE WE ALWAYS STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE TWO, WHETHER WE SHOULD BE OUTDOORS IN THE PARKS, OR WHETHER WE SHOULD BE ON OUR TECHNOLOGY AND CATCH UP WITH THE, WITH THE DIGITAL WORLD.
HOW ABOUT COMBINING THE TWO? THAT'S WHAT TECH CONNECT REALLY IS.
SO, COUNCILWOMAN CISNEROS FOUNDED THIS PROGRAM IN 2016 AND HAS REALLY GROWN SO MUCH EVEN TODAY.
THIS PROGRAM IS NOW OFFICIALLY A NONPROFIT NESTED WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT THAT WILL CONTINUE FOR YEARS AND YEARS TO COME.
SO THIS IS A PROGRAM NOT TO BE JUST LAUNCHED, RUN FOR A SUMMER AND BE FINISHED.
THIS IS A PROGRAM TO CONTINUE BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NOT JUST THESE 15 CENTERS RECEIVE STEM EDUCATION, BUT REALLY THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON GETS AN ACCESS TO, TO, UM, TO THE PROGRAM.
SO WE ARE THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENT, BUT NOW WITHOUT, UH, BOARD MEMBERS AND GENEROUS PEOPLE WHO DONATE THEIR TIME TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, TO ADVISE US, MANY OF US DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE OF HOW TO RUN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, DON'T KNOW HOW TO REALLY ATTRACT AND OUTREACH FOLKS INTO THE PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE A VERY, UM, GENEROUS GROUP OF BOARD MEMBERS.
I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE IN THE AUDIENCE.
IF YOU'RE A BOARD MEMBER TODAY, WOULD YOU WAVE STAND RIGHT HERE? OR MAYBE THEY'RE THE RECEPTION.
I THINK THEY'RE AT THE RECEPTION.
UM, SO THAT'S THE, THE, THE ACTUAL ORGANIZATION OF THE, OF THE TECH CONNECT IS INTENTIONALLY SET UP AS A NONPROFIT SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY EXPAND THAT.
WE CAN ALSO ATTRACT EXTERNAL FUNDING.
WE CAN ATTRACT ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING.
SO WE HOPE THAT TECH CONNECT WILL GROW INTO THE CITY'S CHOICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SEEK STEM AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
SO SPECIFICALLY, UM, THE VALUE OF THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY THE CHILDREN WE SERVE.
UM, I KNOW 551, UH, CHILDREN SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE, BUT AGAIN, NOT EVEN A SINGLE CHILD IS TOO LITTLE FOR US TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE HAD ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.
BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE CHILDREN WILL LEARN SOMETHING NEW AND WILL BE ABLE TO CHANGE THEIR WAY OF THINKING AS THEY PROGRESS IN THEIR CAREER AND IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL, UH, VALUE.
SO WE HAVE IPADS, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE PARKS AND IPADS? AMAZING COMBINATION.
UH, LOTS OF ROBOTS, LOTS OF CODING.
UH, VERY VIBRANT INTERNS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THESE INDIVIDUALS.
I'M TRYING TO PAINT A PICTURE OF THIS PROGRAM ITSELF.
UM, BUT REALLY COMES DOWN TO ENSURING THERE IS YOUNG PEOPLE WHICH ARE AGES 16 TO 24, THANKS TO THE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM AND MAYOR TURNER AND COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING US THE FUNDING FOR THAT TO BE EDUCATING SIX TO 13 YEAR OLDS ON THEIR STEM EDUCATION.
UH, IT IS A, IT'S A BRILLIANT IDEA AND IT'S NOT MINE.
SO I WANNA SAY, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MRS. NERO FOR HAVING THIS VISION FOR, UH, ENTRUSTING US WITH THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROGRAM.
BUT, UM, I'LL BE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW WE HAVE A RECEPTION LATER ON AS WELL.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR KIND WORDS AND, AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO BE THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW IT'S IN GOOD HANDS WITH YOU.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT, AND I, AND I SEE MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT ARE HERE THAT I DIDN'T SEE INITIALLY.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU WAVE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S? BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
ARE THERE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS? HI, HR.
WHO ELSE IS HERE? NUMBER OF HR LIBRARIES.
WE, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
UM, NEXT I AM DELIGHTED TO WELCOME TO THE PODIUM, UH, DEBRA LATHAN, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE RECREATION AND WELLNESS DIVISION OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WELCOME MS. MR. SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR CHOOSING PARKS AND RECREATION TO, UH, SHARE IN YOUR VISION
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OF TECH CONNECT AND TECHNOLOGY FOR OUR KIDS.SO, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION AND OUR ROLE.
UM, THE PROGRAM IS GEARED TOWARD THE SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM YOUTH, AND THOSE ARE SIX TO AGES SIX TO 13 DURING THE SUMMER FOR 10 WEEKS.
UM, THE, UM, HOURS ARE 8:00 AM TO 6:00 PM AND THE COST IS $30 PER WEEK PER CHILD.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A, UM, A PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN QUALIFY IN MOST OF OUR KIDS, THEY GET THE PROGRAM FREE.
HOW TO SIGN UP IS THAT WE DO HAVE OUR, UH, REGISTRATION THROUGH OUR ACTIVE NET ONLINE REGISTRATION SYSTEM AND THEIR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS, THEY GO IN THERE TO ASSIGN THE KIDS UP.
THIS YEAR, WE WILL BE HOSTING AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, UH, CIRO SAYS 15 TECH CONNECT SITES, AND WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT WE GET, UH, THREE MORE, UM, PROGRAMS, UH, THIS YEAR FOR 2023.
PREVIOUSLY THEY WERE 12 SITES ALL WITHIN DISTRICT H.
THIS SUMMER TECH CONNECT HAS EXPANDED INTO THREE NEW SITES AND DISTRICTS, B, D AND I, AND THOSE CONSIST OF ACRES, HOMES, SUNNYSIDE, AND THE MANCHESTER AREAS.
THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY IS GREAT BECAUSE THIS ALLOWS, UH, OUR UNDER UNDERSERVED YOUTH, WHICH, UM, TO PROVIDE TECH EDUCATION IN A COMMUNITY SETTING, A SETTING THAT THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH, THAT'S RELAXED, WHERE THEY CAN HAVE FUN AND THEY CAN REALLY GRASP ON, UH, TO THE, UH, EDUCATION.
THEY SEE IT AS FUN AND SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND SOMETHING NEW.
THE PROGRAM ALSO, UH, AFFORDS OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS WHERE THE PROGRAM IS HELD TO HAVE FREE WIFI.
SO WE ARE VERY, VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
IN ADDITION, THE ROLLING BOOK CART WE GET FROM THE PROGRAM, UM, WITH HIGH INTEREST BOOKS FOR THIS, UM, KIDS, IT PROMOTES LITERACY.
AND ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN THE KIDS ARE OUTTA SCHOOL, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T GET, THEY DON'T READ OR THEY MAY NOT VISIT THE LIBRARY AS OFTEN, BUT, AND THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CAN KIND OF SUBSTITUTE AND AUGMENT THE PROGRAM.
SO THANKS FOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, THERE ARE TWO INTERNS PER SITE, UM, THAT PROVIDE THE DAILY TECH CONNECT PROGRAM, AND ALSO THEY ASSIST WITH, UM, SOME ENRICHMENT PROGRAM ALSO IN SOME OF OUR PASSIVE AND OUR ACTIVE RECREATION AFTER THEY'VE DONE THEIR TE TECH CONNECT, UH, ACTIVITIES.
SO THEY REALLY GET A CHANCE TO CONNECT, UM, WITH THE KIDS, NOT ONLY FOR TECH CONNECT, BUT IN SOME ARTS AND CRAFTS AND FITNESS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY REALLY DO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE KIDS THAT ARE PART OF THE SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE WONDERFUL TECH CONNECT FAIRS.
UM, THERE'S 11 THAT ARE, UH, SLATED FOR THIS YEAR, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE HOSTED TWO TIMES A WEEK, AND THAT'S WHEN THE KIDS GET A CHANCE TO COME OUT AND JUST, UM, MAKE NEW FRIENDS.
AND ALSO JUST TO BE A PART OF THAT WHOLE TECH CONNECT, UH, PROCESS OF SHOWING WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED.
AND ALSO TO LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, WE, AS A, AS A RESULT OF THE TECH CONNECT FAIRS, WE HAVE GREAT RESOURCES, UM, UH, FOR OPERATION, UM, THE OPERATION OF, UM, UH, STATIONS FOR EACH OF THE KIDS TO PASS THROUGH.
AND SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, CISNEROS AND CARISSA, UM, THEY GO AND THEY, UH, GET ALL THIS HIGH TECH EQUIPMENT THAT OUR KIDS WOULD NOT EVER HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN.
I MEAN, FROM ANY, FROM ROBOTICS TO, TO ALL KINDS OF STEM ACTIVITIES, WHICH REALLY, REALLY PIQUES THEIR IMAGINATION AND HELPS THEM IN THEIR EDUCATION, UH, IN SCHOOL.
UM, LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO JUST TALK ABOUT THAT.
UH, THIS PROGRAM IS JUST SO, SO VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, NOT ONLY HAVE THE, THE CHILDREN IN THE SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM BENEFITED FROM IT, BUT OUR STAFF HAVE BENEFITED FOR FROM IT.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME, UM, EQUIPMENT THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD, OR THEY HAVE, WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN PURCHASED, UM, TO, TO BECOME A PART OF IT.
SO, GIVEN THESE RESOURCES AND GIVEN ALL OF THE, THE DIRECTION FROM THESE WONDERFUL INTERNS THAT WE HAVE, AND WE, WE REALLY DO THINK THE INTERN, BECAUSE THEY ARE LEARNING ALONG WITH OUR KIDS, AND THEY ARE BEING ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS TO THE KIDS THAT ARE PART OF THE, UM, TECH CONNECT PROGRAM.
SO THE THING IS, IT'S JUST A 2, 3, 4, 5 TENFOLD, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT TO PARKS AND RECREATION AND ALL THE CITIZENS, UM, OF, OF THE, OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I KNOW I'VE, I'VE ALSO HEARD SOME OF THE KIDS, THEY GO HOME, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST RAVING ABOUT ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT THEY, UH, HAVE, UH, LEARNED.
AND THE PARENTS, THEY'RE VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE AND THEY, THEY GIVE US GREAT COMPLIMENTS.
I LIKE TO BRING UP NIKIA LEWIS.
HE'S THE DIVISION MANAGER OF A RECREATION PROGRAM AND HE'S VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND, YOU KNOW, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
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YES, MA'AM.SO I DO WANNA FIRST OFF COUNCILWOMAN CISNEROS, I BELIEVE IN GIVING INDIVIDUALS THEIR FLOWERS WHO DESERVE THEM.
SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU YOUR FLOWERS TODAY BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS SO BENEFICIAL AND IMPACTFUL TO OUR YOUTH PARTICIPANTS, NOT ONLY WITH THE SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM, BUT BY MAKING THIS PROGRAM YEAR ROUND.
IT ALSO SERVES WITH OUR AFTERSCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM POPULATIONS AS WELL.
AND BY SPREADING FROM DISTRICT H TO ALSO DISTRICTS, BD AND I, WE'RE SPREADING THAT IMPACT OF, UH, TECHNOLOGY.
AND WE'RE CLOSING THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE WITH ALL THESE, UH, UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTERS WHO COME OUT EACH AND EVERY DAY TO ENJOY WONDERFUL STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL ENHANCEMENT ON THE PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITY.
'CAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS AGE SIX, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN BLOCK CODING, UH, TO WORK WITH ALL THESE PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THIS YEAR WITH THE DRONES, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THESE CHILDREN, UH, IN THESE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES, NOT EVEN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
A LOT OF HISD SCHOOLS ARE NOT EVEN TEACHING THE STEM PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S INNOVATED, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED AND IT'S WONDERFUL.
AND I DO WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU MY OWN STANDING OVATION FOR A WONDERFUL JOB.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GOING EVERY YEAR AND THE PROGRAM GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER.
WAIT, YOU KNOW, DON'T GO, THERE'S SOME MORE PAGES ON THERE,
SO, UM, WE HAVE A, A, A LITTLE VIDEO THAT THAT WILL HELP EXPLAIN OKAY.
AND THEN, UM, IF YOU COULD ALSO TALK ABOUT THE SCHEDULE.
AND, UM, AND THE, THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
OH, ALSO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME AND, AND, UH, AND THANK COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PALMER FOR COMING AND, AND, UM, BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROGRAM, THE SCHEDULE.
SO ARE YOU GONNA PLAY THE VIDEO NOW? SO OVER THE YEARS, HTV HAS FILMED A COUPLE OF PIECES ABOUT TECH CONNECT, AND THIS IS ONE THAT, THAT, THAT GIVES A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT THE TECH CONNECT FAIRS ARE LIKE.
UM, WE, LIKE I SAID, WE WILL HAVE 11 FAIRS, UH, THIS SUMMER.
UM, FOND MELROSE, DENVER HARBOR, SUNNYSIDE, UH, LINCOLN PARK, MONTY BEACH, EASTWOOD, CLARK HARTMAN, INDEPENDENCE, AND MOODY COMMUNITY COMMUNITY CENTERS.
THEY WILL ALL HOST THE TECH CONNECT FAIRS.
SO I GUESS IF YOU CAN ROLL THE VIDEO, I SEE OUR TECH CONNECT INTERNS ARE, ARE COMING.
THEY'RE ALL WEARING THEIR LAB COATS.
UNIVERSITY HOUSTON GOING IN THE MAJOR OF, TURN IT ON AND OFF.
WE'RE HERE AT THE DENVER HARBOR MULTI-SERVICE CENTER FOR THE THIRD OF MY ANNUAL TECH CONNECT, UM, PROGRAM.
SO PART OF THE PROGRAM IS ON, ON FRIDAYS.
WE, UM, MOVE AROUND TO DIFFERENT, UH, UH, SITES IN DISTRICT AGE, AND WE HAVE A TECH CONNECT FAIR.
SO, UM, BEHIND THE UC, ALL THESE DIFFERENT STATIONS, UM, THEY'RE MOSTLY BEING OPERATED BY MY INTERNS THAT ARE WORKING AS TECH TECH INTERNS AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PARK, UM, LOCATIONS WHERE WE HAVE, UH, SUMMER PARK RECREATION PROGRAMS GOING ON.
AND THEIR WHOLE JOB IS TO BRING, UH, STEM ACTIVITIES, LITERACY ACTIVITIES TO THE PARKS PROGRAMMING.
SO STEM STANDS FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH.
THESE ARE ONE OF THE BRAND NEW COMPONENTS COMING INTO SCHOOLS.
AND HISD, I'M A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, GOING IN THE MAJOR OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY.
AND I'M ALSO WORKING WITH HISD.
AND I FELT THAT THIS POSITION, WORKING WITH KIDS IN A STEM ENVIRONMENT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT KIDS UNDERSTAND THAT TECHNOLOGY HAS A LOT MORE USES THAN JUST PLAYING ON THE IPADS, PLAYING VIDEO GAMES.
THERE'S REAL WORLD IMPLEMENTATIONS THAT WE COULD USE AND APPLY THAT TO THE REAL WORLD.
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TO ANYONE.IT'S NOT JUST THE KIDS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE IN THE PARKS PROGRAMMING.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A FAMILY THAT'S HERE FOR THE THIRD TIME, IT'S OUR THIRD YEAR, THEY'RE FOLLOWING US AND COMING TO ALL OF THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THE REASON I BROUGHT MY GIRLS HERE, IT WAS BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE ACCESS TO IT ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND THEN SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GO TO BIG GROUPS, THEY ONLY GET TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES HERE AND THERE.
BUT HERE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE IN SMALL GROUPS AND, UH, TAKE PART INTO IN THE SCIENCE STEM PROGRAM, AND THEY REALLY ENJOYED IT.
THEY'VE, UH, DID A LOT OF, UH, ELECTRONIC CONNECTIVITY WITH, UH, SOLDERING NOW AND, UM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS. THE, THE IMPORTANCE IS, IS KINDA LIKE DUAL LANGUAGE.
AND, UM, YOU ARE NOT REALLY GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE ANY SUSTAINABLE JOB WITHOUT HAVING SOME KIND OF SCIENCE BACKGROUND.
SO HERE'S YOUR BACKING AND YOU PIN THAT ONTO YOUR SHIRT.
AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO JUST, UH, MENTION THE LOCATIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE FOR THE 2023 SUMMER SEASON.
UM, THE LOCATIONS WILL BE MELROSE, CLARK MOODY, INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, MONTE BEACH, PROCTOR PLAZA, WOODLAND STUY, FONDE LINCOLN, DENVER HARBOR, EASTWOOD, HARTMAN, AND SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY CENTERS.
IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, I'LL BE RIGHT HERE TO ANSWER.
UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS JUST BEEN AMAZING AND JUST SO SUPPORTIVE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND JUST TREMENDOUS PARTNERS AND, AND, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UM, HOW IT'S, IT'S GROWING INTO THE AND THE FUTURE AND, AND, AND, UM, SERVING SO MANY NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS.
UM, THERE'S A, A PAGE THAT CAN YOU SHOW, MAKE SURE THAT, UM, ABOUT THE RESOURCES, IT'S UP THERE.
SO THERE'S ALREADY, WE'VE ALREADY ACQUIRED AND, AND HAVING OUR INVENTORY OVER 800 KITS, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, AND YOU'LL GET TO SEE SOME OF THEM.
NOT EVERYTHING'S IS OUT, BUT THERE'S A RECEPTION AFTER THIS MEETING DOWNSTAIRS.
AND YOU CAN COME, UM, PLAY WITH US, YOU KNOW, AND TRY OUT SOME OF THE, UM, THE REALLY, UM, SUPER FUN AND INTERESTING, UM, TECH DEVICES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND WE'RE WAITING ON THE DELIVERY.
WE HAVE SOME THINGS WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN IN YET THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME MORE DRONES THAT HAVE THE, UM, ABILITY TO SWARM AND TO UH, UM, HAVE LED LIGHTS AND, UM, SOME OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER INTERESTING THINGS THAT THE OSMO KIT, I THINK THAT'S A, IT'S A VIDEO, IT'S AN ANIMATION PROGRAM THAT'S COMING TOO.
SO OUR NEXT PRESENTER IS NO MORENO, WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT TECH CONNECT INTERNS PLAY.
NOE HAS WORKED AS A TECH CONNECT INTERNS FOR TWO YEARS AND HAS JUST GRADUATED WITH HIS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA THIS SPRING.
IS THIS WORKING? MY APOLOGIES.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME UP HERE TODAY, AND I'M JUST HERE TO TALK ABOUT TECH CONNECT A LITTLE.
UH, THIS WILL BE MY SECOND YEAR OF WORKING WITH TECH CONNECT AND IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND GREAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AS A PERSON AND ME AS AN EMPLOYEE.
UM, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF JOBS THAT GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T REALLY WORKED BEFORE.
SO THAT'S GOTTA DEFINITELY GOTTA BE MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING HERE.
UM, UH, A BIG THING THAT I LIKE TO HARP THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HARP ON WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH TECH CONNECT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.
UM, CRITICAL THINKING IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP WITHIN YOUTH.
IT'S NOT A SKILL, IT'S A SKILL THAT GOES VERY EASILY OVERLOOKED, LOOKED, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY TRAINED IN SCHOOL NOWADAYS.
UM, STEM ISN'T REALLY SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF COMMUNITIES.
AND EVEN IF IT IS IMPORTANT, A LOT OF COMMUNITIES CAN'T REALLY AFFORD THE AMOUNT OF MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY THAT IS REQUIRED TO, UM, TO BUILD UP THOSE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY GOTTA BE A BIG, BIG PUSH FOR ME AS A STUDENT MYSELF.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO GOT TO, WHO WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BENEFIT FROM STEM PROGRAMS LIKE THESE AS A KID, I GOT, I WAS RAISED LEARNING HOW TO CODE AND LEARNING HOW TO DO 3D PRINTING AND LEARNING HOW TO BUILD CRITICAL SKILLS.
AND THAT HELPED ME A LOT AS A PERSON.
[00:30:01]
GROW AND DEVELOP, UH, DAY TO DAY.A LOT OF DAY TO DAY WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING AS A TECH CONNECT INTERN IS WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND TEACHING THEM, UH, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO ONE TELLING YOU HOW TO TEACH.
NO ONE TEACHES YOU HOW TO TEACH OTHER KIDS.
AND SO A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH SELF-DISCOVERY AND LEARNING THAT EVERY SINGLE CHILD IS THEIR OWN PERSON.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO KIND OF PLAY AROUND THAT AND YOU KIND OF HAVE TO ADAPT AND LEARN.
AND IT'S A LOT OF, IT'S A LOT OF ON HAND EXPERIENCE AND I WOULDN'T REALLY TRADE ANYTHING FOR THAT.
UM, UH, DAY TO DAY IS A LOT OF WORKING WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS AND IT'S A LOT OF TRYING TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND AND TO LEARN AND, AND PATIENCE IS A BIG, BIG FACTOR.
UM, TEACHING THE KIDS THAT PATIENCE IS SOMETHING, IS SOMETHING WORTH WANTING.
AND YOU BEING PATIENT AND LEARNING WITH THEM AND THE LOOK ON THEIR FACE WHENEVER THEY MANAGE TO FINALLY FIGURE OUT ONE REALLY DIFFICULT PROBLEM IS, IS EXHILARATING.
IT'S EXHILARATING, IT'S HAPPY FOR YOU, IT'S HAPPY FOR THEM.
AND, AND THAT CHANGES THEM PROFOUNDLY.
JUST BEING ABLE TO, I DID IT, I STUCK THROUGH IT, I PERSEVERED, I WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO STRONG AND SMART ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
EVEN IF IT JUST, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A LITTLE ROBOTIC MOUSE WITH LITTLE CHEESE AND IT MAKES A LITTLE NOISE, YOU CAN, IT, IT REALLY HELPS 'EM A LOT TO BE ABLE TO BUILD UP THAT CONFIDENCE IN A NICE, SAFE MANNER AND TO NOT, AND TO BUILD THOSE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN CODING.
AND CODING IS VERY BIG IN OUR WORLD, ESPECIALLY WITH HOW TECHNOLOGY IS GOING AND HOW IT'S ADAPTING AND EVER CHANGING AND EVER GROWING.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, INTERACT WITH A LOT OF THE PARK STAFF THAT'S ALSO REALLY GOOD, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING A CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEE AND HOPEFULLY GETTING TO SEE ALL YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE MORE OFTEN.
UM, I DUNNO HOW TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
DO I GET TO MANAGE THAT UP HERE OR DOES IT GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? MYSELF? DO YOU WANT ME TO PLAY THIS? I THINK THE, THE NEXT ONE SLIDE IS A, IS A LITTLE, ANOTHER LITTLE VIDEO OF A, UM, ABOUT, UM, THAT RAVEN CARL, DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS AN INTERN? YEAH, I REMEMBER THAT.
SO, SO DON'T GO ANYWHERE 'CAUSE THERE'S MORE AFTER THAT, BUT, BUT WE NOW I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO SEE, SEE THE, SEE THAT VIDEO.
WELL, MY NAME IS RAVEN CARL AND I'M AN INTERN HERE AT TECH CONNECT PROGRAM.
GROWING UP, I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, SO TEACHING ABOUT IT IS VERY EXCITING FOR ME.
I APPLIED TO THE TECH INTERNSHIP BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE VERY GREAT MEMORIES WITH THE KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY OR THE KNOWLEDGE TO LEARN ABOUT STEM AT HOME OR AT SCHOOL.
THE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH COMMUNITY CENTER STAFF, THE KIDS, OTHER TECH CONNECT INTERNS AND DISTRICT HQ.
I THINK THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY DO ARE BASED IN A FUN RECREATION SETTING.
THE INTERNS CHALLENGE THEM, THEY ASK 'EM DIFFERENT QUESTIONS, THEY ASK 'EM TO TRY DIFFERENT THINGS TO SEE WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T WORK.
WITH THIS PROGRAM, I DEVELOP GREAT COMMUNICATION SKILLS, MANAGEMENT SKILLS, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND EVEN CRITICAL THINKING WITH THE KIDS CURIOUS QUESTIONS.
THE TECH INTERNSHIP IS A GREAT WAY TO BE MORE EXPERIENCED WITH THE STEM INDUSTRY, WHICH I WANNA BE IN AS A INDIVIDUAL.
I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF THIS.
SO, UM, RAVEN CARL WAS AN INTERN LAST SUMMER AND, AND, UM, THAT, THAT'S A NICE, I THINK, UH, A PERSPECTIVE THAT
[00:35:01]
SHE HAD A ABOUT, UM, WHAT IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT WAS TO BE AN INTERN AND, AND NOAH, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE, UM, BEEN AN AMAZING INTERN TOO.UM, THERE'S STILL A LITTLE BIT, I SEE MORE PAGES FOR YOU HERE, SO IF YOU WANNA CONTINUE, UM, SO, UH, IT'S ONE MORE SLIDE BACK PLEASE.
SO, UH, WE HAVE TECH CONNECT FAIRS.
SO TECH CONNECT FAIRS IS ESSENTIALLY WHERE WE GET TO GO TO ONE OF THE OTHER PARKS.
LET'S SAY I'M INSTALLATION, I MYSELF AM STATIONED AT CLARK PARK TECH CONNECT FAIR IS WHERE I WOULD GO TO A PARK THAT IS NOT MY PARK AND I WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE FAIR.
AND SO THE FAIRS ARE NORMALLY MORE GRANDIOSE THAN THE AVERAGE DAY TO DAY BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE MORE INTERNS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO MORE MATERIALS.
AND IT OVERALL JUST LEADS TO A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH THE INTERNS AND FOR THE CHILDREN WHO ARE GETTING TO EXPERIENCE AND LEARN FROM SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS.
UM, UH, WE LEAD AN ACTIVITY STATION OR A GUEST RESOURCE.
UH, WE LIKE, AS IN WE PROVIDE STUFF FOR THE GUESTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, IF WE LEAD AN ACTIVITY STATION, IT'S MOSTLY JUST INTRODUCING THEM ON CODE AND INTRODUCING THEM WITH TECHNOLOGY OR TEACHING THEM HOW TO USE AN IPAD, WHICH IS ALL VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND FOR EVEN SENIORS WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE IT'S CONSTANTLY, CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
UM, IT SAYS, MY STORY HERE, AND I GUESS WHAT I WOULD WANNA TOUCH ON IS I WENT TO A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CALLED HERRERA AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THERE TO WORK WITH THIS WONDERFUL TEACHER.
AND SO SHE TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT CODING AND ABOUT DEVELOPING AND ENGINEERING AND, UM, I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT 3D PRINTING ACTUALLY.
AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM TRIAL AND ERROR.
IT WAS A LOT OF TRIAL AND ERROR AND THAT REALLY, REALLY, THAT REALLY, REALLY HELPED ME.
IT REALLY HELPED ME AND TAUGHT ME TO PERSEVERE AND TO BE PATIENT WITH BOTH MYSELF AND WITH OTHERS.
UM, AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE ALSO GET OUR OWN IPADS FOR USE DURING THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
I HAVE A COMPUTER, BUT I MYSELF DO NOT HAVE AN IPAD.
SO IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S NON WINDOWS OR ANDROID, BECAUSE THAT'S NORMALLY WHAT I INTERACT WITH ON OUR DAY TO DAY.
WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH AND EARN, UM, OUR APPLE TEACHER CERTIFICATIONS, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
NOT ONLY DOES IT LOOK GREAT ON OUR RESUME, BUT WE ALSO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT APPLE, THE COMPANY ITSELF, HOW THEY OPERATE, HOW THEY DO.
AND, UM, WE ALSO GET TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DEVICES THEMSELVES.
AND THAT IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS FASCINATING FOR NERDS LIKE MYSELF AND FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE, UM, TECHNOLOGY, UH, THAT PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY HOUR LONG VIRTUAL CLASSES WITH APP PROFESSIONALS.
UM, THAT'S ALWAYS REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH, UH, PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND HAVE THEIR OWN PROFESSION IN WORKING WITH TECHNOLOGY.
THAT'S PRETTY SICK IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF,
UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME ON THIS PROGRAM.
NO, AND LET ME JUST ADD HOW PROUD I AM OF YOU AND, AND, AND THE REALLY HUGE CONTRIBUTION YOU'VE, YOU'VE MADE, UM, TO TECH CONNECT YOURSELF.
UM, OUR FINAL PRESENTER IS CARISSA BANDA, WHO HAS A LONG HISTORY WITH TECH CONNECT.
UM, FIRST AS A TECH CONNECT INTERN HERSELF FOR TWO YEARS, THEN AS A MEMBER OF MY STAFF, AS THE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS WHERE SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE LOGISTICS OF THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM.
CARISSA IS NOT JUST PART OF THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.
AND AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, SHE WILL MOVE OVER TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS A GRANT FUNDED TRANSITION MANAGER FOR THE PROGRAM.
SO, UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME.
UM, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE INSURANCE IN THE PROGRAM, SO I'M SORRY WE'RE LATE.
WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A TRANSPORTATION ISSUE.
UM, BUT IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO FOR THE FUTURE OF TECH CONNECT, UH, TECH CONNECT, THE GOAL IS FOR TECH CONNECT TO BE ADOPTED AS A CITY OF HOUSTON PROGRAM, I'M SORRY, TO BE ADOPTED INTO THE HOUSTON EMBEDDED INTO THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AS PART OF A CITY OF HOUSTON PROGRAM.
AND, UM, SO TECH CONNECT AS A CITY OF HOUSTON, 5 0 1 C OH THREE ORGANIZATION CAN EASILY ACCEPT OUTSIDE FUNDING.
AND THE PLAN IS AS, UH, WAS STATED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, IS THAT THE CURRENT MANAGER, WHICH IS MYSELF, WOULD BE, WOULD STAY WITH THE PROGRAM UNTIL THE END OF JUNE, 2025.
WHICH AT THAT POINT WOULD FAC UH, I WOULD, I AM THERE TO HELP FACILITATE THE SMOOTH TRANSITION INTO THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND SO, UM, RIGHT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE WE HAVE 30 DEDICATED POSITIONS THAT IS FUNDED THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON, THE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM.
UM, SO THAT WE HAVE OUR INTERNS COVERED.
[00:40:01]
YEP.AND THEN, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF TECH CONNECT AT 15 SITES THROUGH THE SUMMER OF 2025.
UM, AND WHILE PRIMARILY TECH CONNECT WILL REMAIN A SUMMER PROGRAM, OUR GOAL IS TO INCLUDE TECH CONNECT FAIRS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL, UH, THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC YEAR SO THAT EVERYONE CAN EXPERIENCE TECH CONNECT.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW OUR WISHLISTS, UH, 'CAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS HOPING TO EXPAND AND LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW.
AND OUR WISHLIST INCLUDES 3D PRINTERS, UM, AUGMENTED REALITY DEVICES, AND, UM, SOME MORE IPADS TO MAKE SURE ALL THE SITES ARE COVERED.
UH, AND WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE OUT ON, WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT WOULD, UH, BE INTERESTING FOR THE PROGRAM AND THAT.
AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIPS.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE MET WHEN NASA AND NASA, UH, SORRY, JOHNSON SPACE CENTER.
AND JOHNSON SPACE CENTER WAS VERY INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH TECH CONNECT AND, UM, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, UH, TO PARTNER AND JUST MAKE SURE, UH, THE INTERNS EXPERIENCE GROWS.
AND THEN THAT IS THEN THAT'S IT FOR ME.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU IN SO MANY WAYS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T SEE ANY OR SO FAR, SO NO, NO QUESTIONS.
AND REALLY THANK YOU EVERYONE.
UM, DIRECTOR Y KSKA, UM, UH, MS. LATHAN, MR. MORENO AND MS. VANDA.
UM, THE MAYOR WILL TELL YOU THAT COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS IS KEY.
YOU CAN'T DO IT ALONE, BUT BY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH OTHERS, YOU CAN DO INCREDIBLE THINGS.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT TODAY'S PRESENTATION HAS BEEN ALL ABOUT.
ALL THE SUCCESS AND GROWTH THAT TECH CONNECT HAS EXPERIENCED IS BECAUSE OF THE COLLABORATION OF MANY, MANY PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, CITY DEPARTMENTS, CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
I AM TERM LIMITED, BUT THANKS TO THE ENTHUSIASTIC AND GENEROUS OF MAYOR TURNER AND HIS MANY DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TECH CONNECT WILL TRANSITION TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WHERE IT WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, HELP BRING EQUITY TO THE LIVES OF UNDER-RESOURCED YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
HOUSTON'S FUTURE PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC HEALTH ARE TIED TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR ABILITY TO NAVIGATE AND HARNESS OUR INCREASINGLY TECHNICAL WORLD.
THE YOUNG PARK CAMPERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN TECH CONNECT PROGRAMS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ARE VALUABLE RESOURCES TO THIS CITY AND WE NEED EVERY ONE OF THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THIS TIME.
WE WILL HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND THERE WAS ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP TODAY, SO, UM, AND I BELIEVE HE IS ONLINE.
UM, UM, MR. WITHAL ROGERS, DO YOU SEE HIM? IS HE HERE? YES, HE'S ON THE PHONE.
SO, UM, MR. ROGERS, UM, YOU WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS, SO PLEASE UN UNMUTE YOURSELF AT THIS TIME BY PUSHING STAR SIX ON YOUR PHONE SINCE YOU'VE JOINED US VIRTUALLY.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE.
MY NAME IS WITH ROGERS AND I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR THE OLD NC SOUTH UNION COMMUNITY.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF SPECIAL PROJECTS, WHEN WE IGNORE THE PLEAS FROM OUR RESIDENTS TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY, WE SURE LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR YOUTH, WE INCREASE THEIR RISK OF BEING IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THEIR MORTALITY RATE.
OSC SOUTH BEING IS PLAGUED WITH VIOLENCE AND WE NEED YOUR HELP.
IT'S NOT ABOUT INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE BECAUSE THAT HAS SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING OUR ENVIRONMENT.
WE'RE ASKING FOR MONEY TO DETER CRIME IS DOLLY SCALE PARK, UM,
KIDS NEED A SAFE PLACE TO PLAY.
IS THERE MONEY AND SPECIAL PROJECTS TO DO SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, FOR JOINING US TODAY AND FOR, UM, REGISTERING TO BE A SPEAKER AND, AND, UM, APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, UM, YOUR INPUT.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES OUR LIST OF SPEAKERS TODAY.
SO THIS MEETING IS ALMOST OVER, BUT THE FUN CONTINUES DOWNSTAIRS IN THE LEGACY ROOM.
SO PLEASE FOLLOW US TO THE FIRST FLOOR OF THIS
[00:45:01]
BUILDING FOR OUR RECEPTION TO THANK OUR, OUR SUPPORTERS TO WELCOME OUR 30 NEW TECH CONNECT INTERNS AND TO GET TO TRYOUT FOR YOURSELF, SOME OF THE COOL GADGETS AND TECH DEVICES THAT WILL BE PART OF THE SUMMER PROGRAM.UM, I WANT TO AGAIN, THANK OUR PRESENTERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR TUNING IN AND PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S MEETING.
TODAY'S PRESENTATION AS WELL AS PAST MEETINGS ARE POSTED ON THE COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE.
PLEASE JOIN US AGAIN NEXT MONTH, UM, FOR THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE MEETING ON JULY 12TH.
THIS CONCLUDES TODAY'S SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE.