I've got an exciting announcement about the TechStart Community Development project. The student projects impressed a panel of judges from the community last month. In the end, they selected three TechStart students who really shined to be nominated for the WTIA Technology Leader of Tomorrow. This is the fourth year our students have participated in the WTIA's awards. Congratulations to Mariah, Tyler and Gizan!

The announcement of this year's WTIA nominees couldn't come at a more perfect time. Last week was the 25th Anniversary of the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a national holiday. I joined the MLK Day celebrations at Microsoft, and as I moderated a panel discussion about how we are or are not living Martin Luther King's dream in the area of STEM education, it occurred to me how much has changed.

One of the key things Dr. King fought for was access to a quality education for everyone, regardless of color. The 1960s were a different time in education. All you had to do was get through high school, and your diploma could earn you a good, well-paying job.

Today, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a living wage. And, sadly, students of color are still less likely than their white classmates to achieve graduation.

The MLK Day celebration featured Dr. Mae Jemison, physician and NASA astronaut. She made this powerful observation during her keynote address (I'm summarizing here): When you have a leader like Martin Luther King Jr., you don't follow in his footsteps; you seek what he sought. 

Unfortunately, many students of color are still seeking that educational equity. As recently as this week, there are news stories about the system trying to keep kids of color in their place.

TAF knows there is a better way. As Dr. Jemison highlighted in her address, pushing the boundaries of any STEM field requires strength in two modes of thinking: Analytical and Intuitive thinking. Both are at the core of what TAF does. As a result, students in TechStart (TAF Academy, too) are generating projects and ideas well beyond their grade level. They are seeking a better future for themselves, and TAF is giving them the tools to get there.

Want to see more?

•  Come to the WTIA Industry Achievement Awards
  to celebrate our students
•  Join us at the 10^th Annual Leadership Breakfast
  on March 15