TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
All Star Code Opens Door to Careers in Technology Industry
By Diane C . Walsh Editor , COMMERCE
Abolaji Awoyomi was a high school sophomore with a budding interest in web design when he took the six-week intensive course offered by All Star Code – a unique program designed to empower young men of color by teaching them coding skills and taping into their entrepreneurial spirit and leadership abilities .
All Star Code taught the precocious teenager the fundamental of building websites . The summer he spent there was “ very vital to my career path ,” said Awoyomi , who is now a sophomore at Cornell University , majoring in information science . “ All Star Code has done so much for me and my life , especially with the opportunities I have come across . I will always be grateful for the people that I connected with .”
Like many of his classmates , Awoyomi wanted to “ pay it forward ” and decided All Star Code could help him accomplish it . Since completing the initial course in 2020 , he has worked as a teaching fellow , teaching assistant and this year as a lead instructor for All Star Code . The dedication and commitment of the faculty was something he wanted to emulate . “ It was the thought and care that the instructors put into teaching – the amount of preparation behind the scenes , and making sure they ’ re making every single student feel welcome .”
The three pillars All Star Code instills in its student are to dare greatly , celebrate failure and tell your story . The non-profit organization was founded in 2013 by Christina Lewis Halpern , a former Wall Street Journal reporter , who found men of color were under-represented in the technology industry . She was determined to open doors for interested young men , giving them
“ We ’ re excited to collaborate with All Star Code and their commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive tech industry enabling students to immerse themselves in the learning process , explore their passion for coding and unleash their creativity .” metropolitan area , Chicago , Houston and Dallas . While All Star Code recruits heavily from those areas , the instruction is provided remotely , making it open to anyone who has access to a computer .
AnythingIT , a leading Information Technology Asset Disposition ( ITAD ) & e-waste solutions provider for over 30 years , based in North Bergen , partnered with All Star Code this year and donated 100 laptops . As a demonstration of its commitment to fostering diversity and equal opportunities in the tech industry , AnythingIT donated the laptops in hopes of laying a foundation for transformative experiences that will pave the way for lifelong learning and professional development for up to 300 students .
“ We ’ re excited to collaborate with All Star Code and their commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive tech industry enabling students to immerse themselves in the learning process , explore their passion for coding and
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ASC Director of Teaching and Learning Khye Borg Liew at CSTA _ s 2022 Annual Conference in Chicago . opportunities for social and economic mobility .
Lewis is the daughter of the late Reginald F . Lewis , who was one of the richest black men in America in the 1980s . He was the first African- American to build a billion-dollar company , TLC Beatrice International Holdings . His story is an inspiration for the young men enrolled in All Star Code .
Some 1,300 scholars have completed the tuition-free program since its inception , reported Tony Stewart , the director of marketing and communication . He said 200 of them are now workforce ready . All the students are highly-motivated to apply their talents in the tech industry . Most are recommended by a network of schools and academies which All Star has developed over time .
The organization is headquartered in New York and its focus has been in the New York
ASC Executive Director Danny Rojas and Senior Director of Programs Nadine Friedman-Roberts Pose in Front of the Capitol Building During the Congressional App Challenge 2023 .
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