Hello Wrld,
All Star Code is empowering the next generation of tech innovators
by creating pathways to economic opportunity
through computer science education
and mentorship.
Join us in building an inclusive and innovative tech future.
All Star Code transforms lives by preparing youth from underserved communities for tech careers. Through our comprehensive Launching Digital Futures (LDF) initiative, we connect students to real-world skills, influential networks, and entrepreneurial opportunities for a sustainable tech talent pipeline.
Launching Digital Futures
Our LDF initiative is a dynamic tech talent pipeline designed to empower our students. By integrating our programs—Tech Exposure, Tech Intensives, and Tech Career Pathways—LDF provides a seamless journey from initial interest to professional employment in the technology industry.
Tech Exposure
• Activities like Crack the Code, an engaging virtual coding game, and the Talent in Tech Academy, a free after-school program introducing foundational STEM skills. These programs are designed to spark interest in coding, game design, AI, and other tech fields, providing interactive experiences that make learning accessible and fun.
Tech Intensives
• Our flagship Summer Intensive (SI) is a six-week program that immerses students in computer science principles, web development, and emerging technologies. Alongside shorter programs like Two-Day Intensives and 3-Week Sprints, participants receive mentorship from industry professionals, engage in site visits to tech companies, and attend career-focused workshops that enhance their professional skills.
Career Pathways
• Initiatives such as the Tech Entrepreneurship Incubator offer students the opportunity to develop their own tech projects and startups, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset. The Technical Test & Interview Prep program equips students with the skills needed to succeed in technical assessments and job interviews. Our Career Readiness Program prepares students with professional development training, including resume building and networking strategies, ensuring they are ready to enter high-demand tech fields like software engineering, AI, and product development.
Our Impact
The culmination of these programs within LDF addresses the digital skills gap and promotes economic mobility. By equipping our communities with essential technical skills, entrepreneurial mindsets, and professional networks, we are cultivating a new generation of tech innovators who will drive progress and inclusivity within the industry.
We are excited to announce the appointment of Erica Riccobono to the All Star Code Board of Directors! Erica, Managing Director at Elephant, brings over twenty years of experience in digital product, brand, and communications. Her strategic insight and dedication to diversity and inclusion align perfectly with our mission to empower youth from underrepresented communities in the tech industry. Welcome, Erica!
The Platinum Seal of Transparency is the highest level of recognition that a nonprofit organization can receive from GuideStar. This seal is awarded to organizations that demonstrate a commitment to transparency and accountability by providing detailed information about their programs, finances, and impact. Organizations that achieve the Platinum Seal of Transparency are recognized as leaders in the nonprofit sector and are trusted by donors, funders, and other stakeholders.
This is recognition a testament to All Star Code's commitment to transparency and accountability.
We are extremely grateful for AnythingIT's donation of 100 laptops for our Summer Intensive coding program. As we kick off our programming this week, we are heartened by the generosity of AnythingIT which will greatly increase our capacity to create a pipeline of diverse talent for the tech industry.
All Star Code hosted an extraordinary networking event at The Delancey in New York City to celebrate a decade of impactful work. The night was thrilling, with over 30 of our talented and motivated Scholars in attendance. The icing on the cake was the electrifying presence of DJ KING SZN, De Andre King, who took the turntables to new heights and brought the house down.
It was inspiring to see so many Scholars connecting and networking with industry professionals, like our own Executive Director Danny Rojas, sharing their experiences and aspirations. We are proud of our Scholars for their hard work and dedication to changing the landscape of technology.
Our own Executive Director Danny Rojas gave the keynote address at the Congressional App Challenge, a prestigious prize in student computer science that showcases the best and brightest apps created by high school students across the country1. Danny shared his inspiring story of how he became passionate about coding and diversity in tech.
We were also proud to see three of our 2022 Scholars from Tennessee being selected as winners of the challenge Shaun Murray, Jared Murray, and Johnathon Sherrill created an app called EcoBalance, which is a game that teaches players about the importance of maintaining a healthy balance of ecological systems. They demonstrated their app at the Capitol Visitor Center, along with over 300 other award-winning coders from 46 states.
We want to congratulate our Scholars and Danny for their amazing achievements and for representing All Star Code at this national event. We hope they inspired other students and lawmakers to support our mission of creating economic opportunity by developing students with an entrepreneurial mindset who have the tools they need to succeed in a technological world
We are thrilled to announce that our first cohort of Talent in Tech Academy (TTA) students have successfully completed our pilot program. TTA is our new in-school club model that aims to provide high school students with an engaging and fun introduction to computer science and entrepreneurship.
The program was taught by our very own ASC Scholar from 2021, Richard Perez Jr., who shared his passion and expertise with the students. Richard attends The Scholars’ Academy in Queens, where the pilot program took place.
The students learned the basics of coding and game development using JavaScript p5 and created their own projects using their creativity and problem-solving skills.
We want to congratulate all of our TTA graduates for their hard work and dedication. We are so proud of what they have accomplished and we hope they continue to pursue their interests in technology and innovation. We also want to thank Richard for being an amazing teacher and mentor for the students. He is a true All Star and a role model for our community.
We can’t wait to expand our TTA club to even more schools and reach more students who want to learn how to code and create a positive impact on diversity in tech. Stay tuned for more updates on our TTA program!
Our team had a blast engaging with the bright minds at the New York Computer Science Fair at The Harlem Armory. The fair is New York City’s largest annual college and career inspiration event for public high school students studying computer science. It aims to excite students about the myriad educational and career opportunities that result from studying CS and to reach students underrepresented in the technology industry, such as girls and students of color.
We had fun activities, giveaways, and conversations with the attendees.
We want to thank everyone who showed up at our booth and supported our mission. We hope you enjoyed the fair as much as we did and learned something new along the way. We look forward to seeing you again at the next CS Fair in 2024!
We are excited to introduce you to our two new board members: Rautz Marc and Benny Gonzalez!
Rautz Marc (pronounced ROOTS) is a risk management expert who works at Vanguard. He has experience in overseeing risk in finance, customer service, operations, and strategy. He is also a board member of NABA and PICPA.
Benny Gonzalez is the CEO of Palante Enterprises, LLC, a consulting firm that helps leaders and organizations grow. He has a background in technology and business, having worked at AT&T, Citigroup, and JPMorgan. He has also been a champion of diversity initiatives and has served on non-profit boards for 10 years.
Rautz and Benny are passionate about using technology to create positive change and empower underrepresented communities.
They bring valuable skills, insights, and perspectives to our board. We are grateful to have them on our team.
Please join us in welcoming them!
All Star Code is grateful for NBA Foundation's pledge to create economic opportunity in Black communities and their work with All Star Code.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our work and lives in unprecedented ways. A new study finds that 80% of the US workforce will have at least 10% of their work affected by GPTs, which are AI models that can generate text that mimics a human author. This could have significant economic, social, and policy implications for workers across all wage levels.
How can we prepare for this change and ensure that humans are not left behind by the robots? In this article, S. Mitra Kalita argues that we need to combine ethics and economics, and focus on advancing human talent to use AI more effectively. She also highlights some examples of how AI is already being used in various domains, such as sales, recruitment, and journalism.
The article also features the perspective of Danny Rojas, the Executive Director of All Star Code, a nonprofit organization that aims to empower youth from underserved communities with skills and mentorship in the tech sector. Rojas shares his vision of how AI can be used to create more opportunities and social mobility for underrepresented groups. He says:
"We believe technology is the catalyst for turning today’s underrepresented into tomorrow’s leaders. Facts are facts: 55% of All Star Code Scholars over the age of 18 are first generation college students. We’re not just teaching them how to code; we’re teaching them how to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively. We’re teaching them how to be leaders in a world where AI is ubiquitous."
All Star Code is a proud Sony Music Global Social Justice Fund partner. What makes the Sony Global Social Justice Fund stand out among other funders? According to Towalame Austin, SMG’s EVP, Philanthropy & Social Impact: “Each Sony company curates their strategy based on their organization’s vision and formalizes their unique approach to social justice.”
Try our beginner's programming game and earn a spot in our summer intensive coding program!
Are you ready to unlock your potential? Can you complete all of the challenges to Crack the Code?
The Giving Block does stellar work with nonprofits like All Star Code to expand our portfolio of donors by allowing us to accept cryptocurrency donations. We can't speak highly enough of our experience with their team!
NEW YORK (November 17, 2022) — Today, All Star Code has announced changes to its organizational leadership and board of directors. After devoting nearly a decade towards helping underserved communities acquire financial independence and social mobility through the power of code, Christina Lewis, All Star Code’s founder, is departing All Star Code’s board and leadership team to focus on future entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors.
All Star Code Executive Director Danny Rojas Recognized as a Social Impact Hero by Authority Magazine
Nike awards $500K grant to All Star Code as part of its Black Community Commitment.
NBA Foundation names All Star Code to its 2021 grantee class as part of the league's promise to have a lasting impact on the Black community.
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