Squads in the School, El Diario La Prensa
Please see the article attached as it appeared in Spanish as well as our English translation below:
Squads in the School
Erik Rosas is in the tenth grade at Hudson High School of Learning Technologies in Manhattan. At 15 years old, his resume already features an internship at Time Inc, and he participated in a project to use solar panels attached to baseball caps.
He is a member of one of the MOUSE Squads that operates in 140 public schools in New York, in which 1,600 students participate. This program – another of the initiatives for professional development serving low-income youth in the city – offers technology knowledge “and teaches them to work in a team, and reinforces their self-esteem and sense of leadership,” according to MOUSE’s spokesperson, Susan Schwartz.
“As a MOUSE Squad [student] I have learned to work like in real life and to help my classmates resolve problems when a program isn’t running or the printer doesn’t work,” says Erik. “I also do it at home, because my parents don’t know much about technology.”
His most important lesson has been in interacting with others and carrying himself as an adult in a professional setting. “I wasn’t good at considering others’ opinions.”
This learning is based on participating in activities, technological projects, and internships like the one Erik completed.
“I want to study astronomy in college and I know that everything I’ve learned will help me in the future,” he says with pride.
