Dogtown Works for Edtech at First Youth Technology Town Hall

Congressman Danny K. Davis facilitated the historic first Youth Technology Town Hall with Google, Pandora, Microsoft, Dogtown Media.

Dogtown Media joined Microsoft, Facebook, Pandora, and other leading tech companies in Chicago last week (June 17) for a historic first Youth Technology Town Hall. Congressman Danny K. Davis and community leaders organized the event to promote STEM and computer science education in the Chicago area, tapping the expertise of technologists and iPhone app developers from across the US.

The event welcomed over 400 students from local Elementary, High Schools, and Universities to Google’s Chicago headquarters. The group spent the day experiencing learning and sharing with school officials and tech leaders alike, enjoying career guidance, keynotes from industry leaders, and hands-on workshops.

Dogtown Media CEO Marc Fischer had the honor of leading several interactive workshops, inspiring students to become creators of meaningful technology. Students had the chance to bring their own startup and app ideas to life. For many, it was their first introduction to the notion that they could build anything they wanted with little more than guidance, enthusiasm, and a laptop with Xcode.

“Tech education advocacy is a top priority for all forward-thinking companies,” said Fischer. “We’re in a situation where over a quarter million science and technology jobs go unfilled annually — yet only one in nine schools are offering computer science programs. STEM education is the answer to creating economic opportunities for the youth and bridging the ever-growing tech talent gap.”

Congressman Danny K. Davis plans to hold regular Youth Technology Town Halls moving forward to foster the next generation of successful Chicago iPhone app developers. Keeping communication and collaboration flowing between school officials, local government and private tech companies promises open the door to a bright career future for thousands of students seeking career pathways in today’s complex job market.

“The resources are there,” said Fischer, “all we have to do is bridge the gap between educators and the tech industry to make sure those resources reach the school systems where they’re most needed.”