City Student TECH CORPS Names 2007-2008 Youth Ambassadors

The City Student TECH CORPS Youth Ambassadors are students that participate in the City Student TECH CORPS program and were identified for outstanding improvement or achievement.

2007-2008 City Student TECH CORPS Ambassadors
Shayla Birtcher, West HS, Tanisha Coffee, Briggs HS, Malcolm Dawson, Eastmoor Academy, Sheron Edmonds, Horizon Academy, Nakita Likely, Columbus Virtual HS, Kateresa Lee, Eastmoor Academy, Mikal Leggon, Northland HS, Mohamed Ndiaye, Independence HS and Jordan Sellers, Columbus Alternative HS

Each year, TECH CORPS Ohio staff and instructors select no more than 10 students to serve as City Student TECH CORPS Youth Ambassadors. Students must meet the following criteria to be considered:
· 90% attendance at the City Student TECH CORPS program
· Achieved 80% or higher on City Student TECH CORPS Certification test
· Received a City Student TECH CORPS instructor recommendation
· Clearly express in a 300 word essay “Why I will be a great City Student TECH CORPS Ambassador”

City Student TECH CORPS Youth Ambassadors are involved in numerous activities that create public awareness of the City Student TECH CORPS program. Past opportunities have included:
· Representing City Student TECH CORPS at Columbus City Council and Columbus City Schools Board Meeting;
· Representing City Student TECH CORPS at important TECH CORPS events;
· Serving as a City Student TECH CORPS program spokesperson to the media;
· Leading peer activities;
· Youth Ambassadors also receive preferred placement in the Summer Internship Program.

Youth Ambassadors for City Student TECH CORPS will be introduced to the public during TECH CORPS Ohio’s Annual Fundraiser, TECHNight 6.0 which takes place Thursday May 8, 2008. The Ambassadors will make a pledge to take full advantage of opportunities to enhance their knowledge and understanding of technology and use their talents, energies and resources to represent their peers at programs sponsored by TECH CORPS Ohio and other City Student TECH CORPS collaborative partners.

City Student TECH CORPS is an innovative program developed by TECH CORPS Ohio and the City of Columbus, Mayor’s Office of Education. This program provides 100 students with 32 weeks of computer and employment soft skills training. Tech-savvy instructors work in an informal education environment using the Student TECH CORPS® curriculum (http://www.studenttechcorps.org/) to prepare students for Level I Technical Support Certification and to build their knowledge of Information Technology educational and career pathways. Students who successfully complete the program are assigned a 10-week paid summer internship where they can apply their newly acquired skills in a real-world setting; making the training authentic.
Funding for City Student TECH CORPS is from Franklin County Board of Commissioners and administered by the FCDJFS