We Are
FUTURE TECH LEADERS
We're making a huge difference
Mission
Future Tech Leaders’ mission is to become a staple in the community by targeting underserved and at-risk youth, allowing them to explore their creativity, develop social-emotional awareness, and express themselves through media and technology.
Vision
Future Tech Leaders envisions standing as a haven that cultivates and promotes holistic wellness and creativity within all youth. We are a place where youth can express themselves creatively and freely on social media, with cameras, and audio equipment, leading to positive social connections, increased self-esteem, and overall positive life outcomes.
​Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the course of education in America and worldwide for the foreseeable future. The United Nations reported that more than 862 million children – half the world’s students – were out of school as nations were forced to shut down school systems. Education Week reported that 55 million of those students were in the United States. Education Week called the US school closures an “unprecedented disruption of K-12 schooling” that has “upended America’s K-12 education system.” This upending caused many schools to replace in-person instruction with online teaching. Unfortunately, many of the emergency online teaching approaches have proved to be ineffective. Those who were effective in academic instruction did not address the trauma students suffered from the sudden disruption in their school, home, and family life. The impact of these school closures and ineffective teaching/learning is still evident and prevalent today. When adequate learning opportunities are unavailable, youth experience hardships that negatively impact achievement and fulfillment. These hardships impact youth's emotional, social, and educational development, creating an environment conducive to further negative outcomes.
Future Tech Leaders addresses the current urgency for engaging youth extracurricular opportunities and the long-term need for effective and holistic technology enrichment opportunities. Students need opportunities that inspire them to stay on track academically but also help them grow socially and emotionally. Youth are being forced to adjust to a new reality and are crying out for engaging activities and enrichment. Future Tech Leaders focuses on developing and expanding the regular K-12 curriculum to a curriculum in which technology, active engagement, and media integration are a common thread for helping youth excel academically, emotionally, socially, ethically, and creatively. Future Tech Leaders’ program will offer film, media, production, and technology enrichment and education.
The Hard Truth
Health Disparities in Youth Violence:
Among young people ages 10-24, homicide is the leading cause of death for African Americans; the second leading cause of death for Hispanics; and the third leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives. 1
School Violence:
Among high school youth (grades 9-12): 22.6% report being in a physical fight, 16.2% reported carrying a weapon and 7.8% reported carrying a weapon on school property. 1
Community Violence:
In the community, an estimated 50-60% of urban youth are exposed to neighborhood violence. In some neighborhood samples, that number climbs to nearly 100%.2
Up to one-third of urban male youth report being the victim of violence including beaten or mugged, attacked with a knife or stabbed, or shot by another person.3
Among adolescents ages 15-17, African American youth living in high-burden urban communities (similar to some communities on the South and West sides of Chicago) are at the greatest risk for being exposed to community violence than any other population in the United States.4
Economic Impact of Youth Violence:
Each year, youth homicides and assault-related injuries result in an estimated $18.2 billion in combined medical and work loss costs.1
Evidence-based violence prevention and intervention programs can save $5 for every $1 spent on other social service programs as well as significantly reduce crime and violence in neighborhoods.5
12
Average # youth victims of homicide per day
86%
% youth homicide victims killed by firearm
1642
Average # young people treated for physical assault injuries in U.S. emergency departments every day
FUTURE TECH LEADERS is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, and educational purposes including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. No part of the net earnings of FUTURE TECH LEADERS shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose clause hereof.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by any organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
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FUTURE TECH LEADERS is not organized and shall not be operated for the private gain of any person. The property of the corporation is irrevocably dedicated to its educational and charitable purposes. No part of the assets, receipts, or net earnings of the corporation shall insure to the benefit of, or be distributed to any individual. The corporation may, however, pay reasonable compensation for services rendered, and make other payments and distributions consistent with these Articles.