Grow With Google: Phase 1

Developing Inclusive, Tech-Rich Communities

Technology pervades our lives. It helps us bank, shop, give, and communicate with loved ones. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to learn the needed technical skill-set to build built vital technology.

Enter STEM non-profits like TXT (in my native West Coast), Footprent Labs, the Illinois Science & Technology Institute, and the Illinois Tech’s Global Leaders Program that help young scholars underrepresented in STEM build their community with technology and become technology entrepreneurs. As the STEM Access Specialist VISTA (now consultant) for the Illinois Tech’s Global Leaders Program, our students use STEM and design thinking to create community innovation projects. I had one problem:

I didn’t know anything about coding!

I remember one of my scholars, asking my input on a virtual reality app she was designing that would help other students in STEM fields.

Then another student asking how to make an app to summon a lawyer for arrested minors.

Bummed that I couldn’t be helpful, last winter I tried to research as many coding classes I could. During my search I stumbled upon Udacity’s Grow With Google: Android Basics Scholarship. With more than 2 billion monthly active Android Devices, I was confident that this would be the best route to help close the knowledge gap between my tech-literate mentees and myself.

Most important, Udacity’s mission of democratizing technology skills and making education accessible to all aligned with my passion.

I applied for Udacity in late December, and I was blessed to be awarded a #GrowwithGoogle Scholarship in January.

Even better, if I was able to provide a rich learning community and finish 100% of the course, I had the opportunity to advance to Part 2 of the Android Developer Nanodegree!

I didn’t think I would be technically skilled enough to qualify for Phase 2, but it was a great incentive nonetheless.

Learning to Learn

During my internship lunch breaks, I would dedicate 30 minutes tackling the stimulating challenges and content delivered by Katherine, Kunal, and Lyla. The time couldn’t go slow enough! Everyday, I would gain a new superpower from learning XML layouts, learning different views in Android Studio, and making apps.

Unlike my coursework from my university, Udacity gave me the liberty of going at my own pace and using Slack and forums if I got stuck(which I used alot!).

My favorite part about being a Scholar was looking at my phone and seeing everything in Textview or ImageView. I felt like Neo in the Matrix.

I am better equipped to help my scholars and am looking to be a teammate at a coding school for youth this summer.

#GrowwithGoogle allowed me to gain a new literacy that is as important as reading the 21st century. With Udacity, I’m now able to help my Scholars and others create better impact in their neighborhoods by using technology.

Advice To Future Scholars

1. Create a consistent study plan. Lunch is a great time for busy professionals to learn a new skill. 30 mins X 5 days = 2.5 hours a week. That’s 10 hours of learning a month.
2. Consider mentoring students or adults in your area while you’re learning. Teaching helps you retain the material, and helps spread tech literacy in your community.
3. Utilize Slack and the forums. Your classmates are friendly and helpful.
4. Have fun! Fall in love with learning.

I’m excited to see the problems my students choose to solve using technology, and how I can (finally) help them achieve their goal using mobile apps.