KidTech
The Academy in partnership with the City of Rochester created the KidTech Program in June of 1999. KidTech provides a 10 week computer literacy program for children (6-17 years of age) who come from Rochester’s poorest neighborhoods. The Academy designed and manages the program, created it’s Web site and web-based curriculum, provides all the instruction, and remanufactures/recycles and upgrades donated computer systems that are given to each participant who successfully completes the program. The program has grown from offering 1 session per year at two community sites to 3 sessions per year at six community sites…and is still growing.
Since 1999, the annual youth served has grown from 70 children per year to over 300 children per year; 1496 children enrolled in the program; 1335 (89%) graduated; and 1081 (81%) received a refurbished take-home computer system (one per family household with multiple children participating in KidTech.Pre and post-training assessments revealed improvement rates of 47% - 86% in File Management, Word-processing, Internet, Graphics, and Spreadsheet skills. The Academy’s HelpTech Computer Support Specialist (CSS) apprentices provide all instruction, technical support services, and all remanufacturing and upgrading of the program’s take-home computer systems. The City of Rochester provides space for our Computer Remanufacturing/Recycling Center (at 400 Dewey Avenue), supplies components for the KidTech Program take-home computers, and provides funding to support the program through a Community Development Block Grant.
If you would like information on KidTech, just go to Contact Us and fill out the Contact Form. After submitting the form, you will receive a thank you response to let you know that we have received your request. After the form is processed, an Academy representative will contact you. Thank you for your interest.
