Tech fair helps teens from Washington Heights get digital careers

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, Manhattan (PIX11) -- More than 2,000 students attended a tech fair in Washington Heights.

It's the city's largest gathering of public high school students studying computer science. The goal is to create the next generation of technology leaders. Inside the armory in Washington Heights, 57 high schools went on a special field trip, participating in the tenth year of the NYC Computer Science Opportunity Fair.

For some, it will be life-changing. Beth Portocarrero has been a computer science high school teacher at In-Tech Academy in the Marblehill section of the Bronx for eight years. Portocarrero said two of her seniors are already headed to college and will be majoring in computer science. 

It’s about opportunity and equity, and it’s all free. Portocarrero said her students are meeting with colleges and learning about internships and jobs they didn’t even know existed.

Fred Wilson is the chairman of Tech:NYC and has organized this fair for years. Wilson said it’s important to focus on public school students, especially women and women of color.  

Ty Curry, the community manager at Google’s Code Next, said the one-on-one experience is critical.

He said if you can see, you can be it. Curry said they have programs right now that help train high school students for a career in tech, from coding to design to 3D modeling.

The annual computer science Fair is thanks to Gotham Gives and partners like Tech:NYC, Microsoft, and Google.  What these students learn could transform them into the technology leaders of tomorrow.