TC2 Summer 2020 High School Internship
TechCORE2 collaborated with WorkReady during the summer of 2020 to kick off their 6th summer high school internship program. High school students were given the opportunity to develop various skills under the wings of college students during this internship program. The internship program allowed students to expand their skill set, engage with STEM-pursuing college students, and learn valuable lessons that are necessary to navigate life outside high school.
This year, the program consisted of five main components: SCRATCH, Python, WeVideo HipHop + STEM, and the final project. SCRATCH is a block-based programming language that helps beginner-level programmers develop their skill set. Once the highschool interns mastered SCRATCH, they moved on to Python. Python is a high-level programming language that is used for application and softwares that we interact with on a daily basis. Students demonstrated their understanding of Python by creating their own scripts. The high school interns were able to demonstrate their video editing skills using WeVideo. The interns used what they learned under the instruction of Soloman Jones to create their final project. The high school internship program gets a musical as well. Students collaborated with local activist and artist, Bigga Dre to produce songs using SoundTrap. SoundTrap is a cloud based music production platform that allows Interns to build music collaboratively while being in different physical locations. This platform also allows the musicians to integrate outside instruments into their production.The last component of the program is the final project. This year, WorkReady presented a theme that concentrated on the opioid crisis. To address the effects of the crisis and what communities can do to help solve the problem, the high school interns created a beautifully made video and song.Students were the able to enter their project into a competition for a chance to win a monetary prize.
While the program focuses on technical skills, students also get to learn about other relevant topics. Throughout the program, time was spent learning about preparation for college and life as a college student. This information is crucial as students in the program are transitioning into higher education. Furthermore, students learned more about black history and the fight for social justice by engaging in discussion and completing meaningful assignments. Over the summer, the interns watched the National Urban League State of Black American Report. The report addressed the effect of racism, COVID-19, and the different disparities that have an unfortunate impact on the black community. The interns were able to reflect on what they watched. One intern noted that “I also learned that the census actually can make a difference in black communities. There is actually a lot of money that can be allocated to us but many of us are afraid.”
TechCORE2 is all about providing students who are willing to participate in exciting and fulfilling ventures with tools and opportunities. We welcome any student in high school who is interested in applying for the 2021 internship program.
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