June 22, 2022
April 11, 2022. NYSTEC received a special thank you for participating in an online panel discussion with the KIPP Tech Valley Middle School Dean of Culture. During the discussion, NYSTEC team members Sarah, Winston, Ronald, and Kristina were given the opportunity to answer questions from KIPP Tech Valley students about careers in technology. The members of the NYSTEC team were thrilled about the discussion.
Ronald, a NYSTEC senior consultant, said that participating in the panel was invigorating. He added, “Engaging with the youth gave us an opportunity to be role models for them and encourage them to venture into an arena where, as people of color, we are often consumers, but underrepresented as creators or developers in the field. I was excited to see their level of interest.”
Kristina, also a NYSTEC senior consultant, said: “For me, participating in the KIPP panel was a reminder that representation matters. Growing up, I didn’t see teachers or guest speakers at my school who looked like me. I hope that what we shared during the discussion helped the KIPP students feel that they are important and that they have the talent and capacity to pursue whatever interests them.”
Winston, a principal consultant at NYSTEC, shared a similar sentiment. “I really appreciated the opportunity to share our knowledge about technology and consulting. Few children know or learn about consulting, and seeing someone who looks like them in the industry can positively impact their choices in the future.”
KIPP Albany Community Public Charter Schools (KIPP Albany) launched on July 1, 2020, as the new partnership between KIPP Tech Valley Charter Schools (KTV) and Albany Community Charter Schools (ACCS). KIPP Albany is a unified group of schools striving toward excellence in education in the Capital Region.
KIPP Albany is affiliated with the KIPP Foundation, a national network of 270 college-preparatory public charter schools with a 25-year track record of preparing students in educationally underserved communities for success in college and in life.
Across the country, 35% of KIPPsters earn a four-year college degree (three times the national average for low-income students). A 2022 study released by research organization Mathematica showed the impact of attending KIPP middle schools could erase the racial achievement gap in four-year college enrollment rates. *
In the KIPP Albany spring newsletter, NYSTEC was recognized as a dedicated partner to the KIPP school program and a proud contributor to the KIPP community.
*Source: DIVERSITY in Ed Magazine, Knowledge is power Blog, June 2022. DIVERSITY in Ed is a minority owned teacher recruitment business established in 2005. The services include a national magazine publication, a job board, and virtual recruitment fairs designed to connect school employers with job-seeking, teachers of color, culture and diverse backgrounds.
