Who We Are

The Youth Technology Corps (YTC) is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) based after-school program where students are introduced to technology principles while learning to refurbish computers. They donate computers and computer instruction in their communities. In a single integrated program, youth learn computers, recycling and good citizenship through hands-on authentic work.

We are now connected to the rest of the world:
With global economic difficulties, helping struggling communities, schools, and youth is daunting. Yet with the acceleration of knowledge, many individual problems have working solutions. Youth Technology Corps' global, grassroots vision is to create technology centers that become an information and communication hub for the surrounding community. Through this hub, youth will have the opportunity to learn the latest technology, provide valuable services to others, and become a community’s connection to the digital world.

YTC’s basic principles:
1. Regardless of how little you have, when you help someone else, you are not poor.
2. You can learn valuable skills through helping others.
3. Giving youth the opportunity to help with the solution aids both community and youth at a lower cost.
4. Emerging technologies make rapid, dramatic progress possible.

The goal:
To use these tools to give youth a future and to connect people in diverse communities so their collective creativity can find new solutions to old problems.

Imagine a world where young people use the promise of technology to bring opportunity and hope to themselves, their community and the world.
Founded in 1998, YTC now has programs in eight Chicago area communities.  While learning to work with computers, over 1,200 YTC students have donated more than 2,500 computers and taught classes in Chicago, North Carolina, Missouri, and Durango, Mexico.

YTC youth began bringing computers to Durango in 2000 with two-way exchanges starting in 2005. In addition, YTC holds annual 1-week computer camps in North Carolina and Missouri. In 2010, YTC youth brought 140 used computers to New Hope Camp, NC and Cuivre River State Park in Missouri, where 50 teens from four states learned to refurbish computers.  After just one week, the youth gave 100 refurbished computers to their eleven hometown communities.

And that's just the beginning.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Andrew Thomas, Chairman:
Corporate Strategy and Business Development, Retired
Evanston, IL

David Finkel, President/Founder:
Chicago, IL

Frank Washelesky, Treasurer:
Director, major Chicago accounting firm
Chicago, IL

Roman Emano
High School Science Teacher
Chicago, IL

Mark R. Engel
Board Chair, Development
Chicago, IL

Mark Jackson
Corporate Sales
Oak Park, IL

Rhea Keenan
Marketing Consultant
Evanston, IL

Ken Leonard
Private Equity Management
Deerfield, IL

Heather Shields Nornes, Esq

Former Insurance Industry Claims Counsel
Chicago, IL

Lou Rosenblatt, PhD
Published Author, National Science Consultant
Baltimore, MD

Marc Siciliano
National High School Science Consultant
Washington D.C.

Elaine Williams (on hiatus)
Of Counsel, major Chicago law firm
Former CIO, Chicago Public Schools
Chicago, IL