Category: YTC

Mexico 2008 trip pictures

I’ve been back for a few weeks, but have been so busy that I just didn’t have time to get the pictures together! The YTC trip was fantastic – it was the largest group that we have gone with, and the kids were by far the most productive! Once again, the computers didn’t make it past the border before we arrived, but at least this year we were prepared. Its pretty sad that the Mexican government can’t get its act together to get the 100 computers that we donate through the border in time. Next year we are planning on sending the computers in April or May – hopefully by the time we get there in August the computers will have arrived!

One of the highlights of the trip was a meeting that David and I had with Governor Deras‘ wife Gabby (she is the head of DIF for the state of Durango, essentially their DCFS), the director of the Cobaed school system, the secretary of education and the superintendent of the school districts we visit. In this meeting we discussed the future of YTC – to see the excitement that they had for the work we do was just incredible! It gives me great hope for the future, and for possible funding for our programs!

I had also set up a wiki for the trip – so if you want to read what our kids or our staff wrote about – feel free to check it out!

YCLA – Diversity and Segregation in Chicago

A film by YTC students at Youth Connections Leadership Academy. They participated YTC’s After School Matter’s film program – they were challenged to come up with a topic, to film and then edit. What you see below is the fruit of their labor!

YTC International Computer Competition

I have plenty of excuses for not posting – realistically, I could have made time to do so, but I just had way too much going on! The last two weeks have been non-stop! Youth Technology Corps‘ Mexican counterparts were visiting the first week of May. We had a computer competition, where the kids had to build computers from spare parts – ala Iron Chef. We had a few professors from Devry as well as Chicago’s alderman of the 12th ward, George Cardenas, on hand to oversee and judge the competition. Our video crew filmed and had a live feed for the rest of the audience. I played many roles as head judge, MC, translator, lead techie, A/V… etc… it was quite exhausting! But overall a total success!! Each team consisted of four Chicago Public school kids and two Mexican students. They were given 3 cases that they had to build into computers and 3 computers that had been sabotaged. 30% of their score was for the computers they built, 30% for those they troubleshooted, and 40% for teamwork. I was amazed at how into the competition the kids were! The “audience” was also quite enthusiastic! Overall a great event!

Back from Mexico

Ok – so I’ve been back for over a week! I just haven’t had the time or the energy to write about the trip. (I got sick upon my return – still taking antibiotics!) It’ll take some time to fully register – but, no worries, I have a lot to write about. In the mean time, I have posted pictures from the trip (if you haven’t already noticed on the left) – so go ahead and click on the album above to take a look! More soon!

(seems like a general lull in posting – get to it bloggers!)