Last week, KidsTek held our 15th Annual Tech Leaders Dinner. The event was a fundraiser benefitting KidsTek, but it was also an opportunity for our students to present what they’ve been learning in class and to tell our guests what they get out of the program.
During the cocktail hour, students from our program at Denver’s North High School manned a demonstration table where they greeted guests and spoke about their class. Our program at North is called “Business Computing,” where we teach practical skills using productivity software. The class has not only crafted documents like resumes and cover letters, but also learned about soft skills including active listening and and how to network. That evening, the students had the opportunity to use these skills by giving their “elevator speeches” and business cards, and made some genuine connections. Everyone was impressed by the class and the students received valuable advice from guests about pursuing their future goals.
One of our student alums from North High, Juan Vargas, gave one of the speeches during the dinner program. Juan is a sophomore at CU Boulder studying computer science. Juan spoke about his college experience and how his involvement with KidsTek gave him valuable skills and contacts.
We also had two of our current middle school students speak during the dinner. Saragam Gadal and Dalziel Hartness from Mrachek Middle School in Aurora did a fantastic job in the spotlight. Program Specialist Danielle BeDillon says “Dalziel and Saragam were both very excited for the opportunity to come to our fundraising dinner. They each put forth a lot of effort to memorize their speeches so they looked professional at the podium. Everyone in attendance was impressed by how well they spoke and presented themselves in front of 250 guests!”
Thank you to all of our dinner guests for a successful evening fundraising for KidsTek, and we’re very proud of the hard work our students put in to preparing for the night!
