District/School Administration PK-16 Program Support
Educational Technology

1998 EdTech Update Report

Youth Tech Entrepreneurs

Youth Tech Entrepreneurs (YTE) will create student technology leaders in Massachusetts public schools. High school students will maintain schools' computer systems, run technology workshops, and develop high-tech businesses. For more information, go to the YTE wesite at www.yte.org.

Imagine a school where high school students provide computer support for their teachers, build the computers that teachers use, even train the teachers how to use new technology. Imagine a school where students develop help-desk, Internet, and new media enterprises of such high quality that community members and even small businesses look to their neighborhood school for computer services. Now imagine a program such as this in every high school in Massachusetts.

How it will Work:

In the fall of 1998, eighteen sophomores at Malden High School began a three-year pilot program sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. They will develop substantive skills in three areas:

Students as Technicians - Students will learn to repair and maintain computer systems. By the end of the first academic year, students will take the A+ Certification Exam, a rigorous and respected industry standard. In their second and third years, they will develop skills in computer networking, web development, graphic design, and application development.

Students as Teachers - Students will learn to teach others what they have learned. During their first year, students will run workshops in how to use computers more effectively at home and in the classroom.

Students as Entrepreneurs - Students will develop innovative projects that serve their communities. During their first year, students will organize a technology fair, make web sites for school clubs and local businesses, and build inexpensive computers for families.

YTE will be:

Inclusive - We believe that technology is a great equalizer of gender, class, and racial difference, and we actively recruit a diverse group of students. Our pilot class is evenly divided between young women and men.

Self-Sufficient - YTE programs will sustain themselves. They will save districts tens of thousands of dollars, attract industry partnerships, and generate income through student-run enterprises.

Networked - YTE w a central hub of information for supporters of rigorous student-based technology programs. Through its newsletters, regional meetings, and conferences, YTE will keep education and business leaders informed and working together.

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