K-12 Tech Education

  • Feeling isolated? Omaha Gives! 2020 has launched. Here’s why you should give

    Feeling isolated? Omaha Gives! 2020 has launched. Here’s why you should give

    Michael Young knows the importance of giving, how it can change a life.  Young grew up in a family that struggled financially. After his father died prematurely, his mother had trouble coping with the loss, and the family dealt with worsening housing and food insecurity. Even in the midst of the economic hardships his family…

  • Omaha South High School Grads Launch Tech Careers, Land Paid Summer Internships at Union Pacific 

    Omaha South High School Grads Launch Tech Careers, Land Paid Summer Internships at Union Pacific 

    This summer, two recent Omaha South High School graduates, Suraj Poudel and Evelyn Espinoza Macias, will enter highly competitive paid internships at Union Pacific after participating in the AIM Institute’s pilot workforce development program that teaches high school students how to code.  Ashok Fichadia, Assistant Vice President of IT Development for Union Pacific, said the…

  • Omaha Bryan senior Britney Salcedo, heading for UNL in the fall, works hard for herself and others

    Omaha Bryan senior Britney Salcedo, heading for UNL in the fall, works hard for herself and others

    We could all use more good news. This inspiring story was originally published by the AIM Institute. Britney Salcedo’s older brother and sister didn’t get the opportunity to go to college. Neither of them could afford it. Seeing her family miss out on higher education due to financial circumstances motivated the Omaha Bryan High School…

  • Virtual Workforce Development Approach Encourages Youth to Dig Themselves, Discover Their Talents and Compete for Prize Money

    Virtual Workforce Development Approach Encourages Youth to Dig Themselves, Discover Their Talents and Compete for Prize Money

    When CEO of Symphony Workforce Todd Smith speaks about Discover Your Genius, a workforce development challenge for high school and college students, enthusiasm brightens his voice.  When he describes what DYG (“dig”) has done for underserved youth across Nebraska—particularly in rural areas where food deserts, poverty and lack of mental health services persist—it’s hard to…

  • Nearly 1,000 Iowa Junior High Students Learned to Code Today. That’s Good News.

    Nearly 1,000 Iowa Junior High Students Learned to Code Today. That’s Good News.

    Today, with the help of the AIM Institute, nearly 1,000 students at Woodrow Wilson Junior High School in Council Bluffs learned the fundamentals of computer programming as part of the international Hour of Code initiative.  Principal Mike Naughton expressed his excitement over every student getting a firsthand experience with coding during their science classes. “Anytime…

  • 2nd Annual Future Builders Challenge brings students to the stage

    2nd Annual Future Builders Challenge brings students to the stage

    This weekend, I attended the 2nd Annual Future Builders Challenge, hosted by Buildertrend, a successful Omaha startup. As Silicon Prairie News’s resident high school student, I had the pleasure of going through the event as a participant rather than an observer, which gave me an opportunity to experience the event hands-on, observe wonderful volunteer speakers,…

  • Lincoln’s Future Builders – Building Lincoln’s Future

    Lincoln’s Future Builders – Building Lincoln’s Future

    The identification, recruitment, development and retention of talent to Lincoln is vital to building on the entrepreneurial momentum in the city. So back in 2016, the Prosper Lincoln community agenda began to look at more intentional efforts to better connect high school students to their innovation and entrepreneurial talents.

  • Acton Omaha Children’s Business Fair inspires entrepreneurship in youth

    Acton Omaha Children’s Business Fair inspires entrepreneurship in youth

    A unique event on October 28 at Kaneko in Omaha kicked off a series of activities designed to spark interest and self-discovery in youth entrepreneurship. The Acton Omaha Children’s Business Fair attracted 88 young people ages 5 – 16 representing nearly 50 businesses they developed in the weeks leading up to the fair. Total attendance…

  • 2018 AIM Tech Celebration inspired and recognized Omaha’s local tech talent community

    2018 AIM Tech Celebration inspired and recognized Omaha’s local tech talent community

    Last night, AIM Tech Celebration welcomed over 300 of the Silicon Prairie’s tech professionals and supporters to Founders One|Nine in downtown Omaha for an awards ceremony recognizing those who have made a profound impact within the local tech community. The uplifting evening was made possible by generous sponsorships and donations from the local community, and…

  • Todd Smith of Smith Ventures seeks to change the region’s K12 educational paradigm

    Todd Smith of Smith Ventures seeks to change the region’s K12 educational paradigm

    Big Omaha was fortunate to have Todd Smith, owner of Smith Ventures, speak about economic competitiveness and the critical need to better prepare our next generation of industry leaders, starting early in their education. SPN sat down with Smith to learn more about how Smith Ventures is seeking to change the educational landscape to “prepare W2 and…