- Mouse Alum, Hudson High School of Learning Technologies
- Human Centered Computing, Rochester Institute of Technology
- Mouse Design Portfolio: Shoe-levator, Speak-EZ
- Internships: BOSS32 Digital, The Partnership for After School Education (PASE)
How did you get involved in Mouse?
When Zacharry applied to high schools in NYC, Hudson High School of Learning Technologies wasn’t even on his radar. He wanted to be a football player -- and somehow ended up at Hudson. He actually planned to transfer -- that was until he found out about Mouse.
“Mouse is the reason I stayed at Hudson. I joined in Sophomore year and was in charge of the laptop carts. The group of students was the most enthusiastic club and had great mentors. Mouse gave me a way to find a group at this school.”
What was the impact of being involved in Design League?
Zacharry joined Design League in Junior Year. “In Design League, we have the freedom to explore and do cool things. I especially loved working with our tech mentors. One was an industrial designer, which really intrigued me -- and inspired me to pursue design in college.”
With his peers, Zacharry designed two projects: Shoe-levator, to assist individuals who may have limited mobility to more easily put on their shoes, and Speak-EZ, a mobile and computer app designed to bridge the communication gap between people who are deaf or hearing impaired and people who do not speak sign language
“Through Mouse, I learned the importance of interviewing -- especially the second interview. I learned empathy, how to think about the things you can and can’t do, and how to figure out a solution.”
“Coming up with ideas to come up w/ solutions -- that is what Mouse was all about...and I really enjoyed that.
What inspired your current course of studies in college?
“It’s all about the purpose. You can create the best technology, but if it’s not user friendly, what’s the point? Mouse showed me the process of creating technology that makes life easier for others.”
During Design League, Zacharry was most focused on the overall design of his projects. “I was especially interested in the aesthetics, making sure our project was something that someone could use.” This experience inspired Zacharry to pursue a new major at his school: Human-Centered Computing.
“To me, Human-Centered Computing is about how you translate human thoughts into programming, design a solution that appeals to a person, and translate human language into code. It’s all about the design and look and feel that connects with the person.”
“Mouse gave me the outlet of here is what’s possible in technology and what you can do. Here I found Human-Centered Computing, built on my work at Mouse and it’s a perfect fit.”
What do you plan to do in the future?
Zacharry is planning to become a web developer or project manager -- someone that can explain to developers what is most meaningful to customers, what is most necessary to meet their needs.
“Mouse taught me about leadership and understanding the user experience. Interviewing, understanding visual cues and coming up with ideas -- how to go from nothing to something.”
Why is it important for more youth to be in programs like Mouse?
“When you are young, you don’t know what you are capable of. You don’t have the resources or the ability to explore this field. Mouse gives you an opportunity to see what is out there. Mouse teaches you the process of developing and designing, and inspires young people to continue to pursue design in the future, just like me.
