WHAT IS TECH FLEX LEADERS?

The Tech Flex Leaders (TFL) Program is an immersive out-of-school time program for juniors and seniors enrolled in a New York City, Los Angeles, or Miami high school. This program engages students interested in technology through:
  • Weekly technical training sessions taught by industry experts
  • Intersectional professional development sessions designed to prepare students to confidently pursue degrees and careers in technology
  • Career days and mentorship opportunities with representatives from leading technology companies ​​
Program Schedule:
  • The Tech Flex Leaders program meets once a week for 9 months starting in September. Cohort options are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday OR Thursday from 4:30 - 6:30 PM.
  • Students are required to attend two (2) mandatory Office Hours over the course of the semester to connect with program leadership. 
  • Student orientation will take place in-person in September.
  • Technical sessions begin in September. Most sessions will take place via Zoom. Final project Build Days, mandatory Demo Days and Graduations will be held in-person. Applicants should be able to attend sessions in-person approximately four times a semester. 
Program Curriculum:
  • During the first semester, students will learn how to code through web development, mastering HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap.  The semester will culminate in a Demo Day Competition where top teams from all cohorts will present their final web projects to a panel of judges.
  • During the second semester, students will choose a tech track to pursue (advanced web development, UX design, digital marketing, product management, or data science), gaining an additional technology skillset they can leverage when pursuing future tech opportunities.
  • [NYC Only] - After successful completion of the Fall and Spring semesters, NYC Tech Flex Leaders will work with our team to obtain a paid, summer tech internship within our robust employer partner network. This summer program is the crucial final component of the TFL model, set up to kickstart our students' careers in the field of technology.*Students in our LA and Miami programs will be eligible to apply for select roles as they become available. 

​
Keep reading to learn more about the program timeline and benefits of participation! 

TECH TRACKS OFFERED

  • Web Development
  • Digital Marketing
  • Data Science
  • UX Design
  • Product Management
<
>
 Advanced Web Development (AWD) is the direct continuation of the topics covered in the first semester of Tech Flex Leaders (HTML/CSS/Bootstrap). In Advanced Web Development, students move beyond front-end development, gaining knowledge of advanced coding languages used to make websites interactive and responsive - including variables and functions all the way to loops/arrays/APIs. For any student truly passionate about pursuing a career in web development, these topics are imperative in order to expose them to the types of projects they can expect to see in the future.  Further, the skills and knowledge gained in AWD will support student success in learning new languages in the future.  By the end of this track you will complete a portfolio of projects demonstrating mastery of these advanced topics! 
​Digital Marketing is all about the fundamentals of digital marketing and social media. Digital marketing includes social media management and various marketing channels such as social media marketing, content marketing and influencer marketing. In this track, you'll work in teams to learn basic marketing concepts and create a product pitch based on how you would market to your audience!
Data science is an interdisciplinary field that is designed to derive knowledge and insight from data.  Data science can help solve a wide range of complex problems from cancer research, robotics, self-driving cars, fraud detection, and natural language processing for chatbots. By the end of this track you will develop a strong foundation of data science knowledge and complete a data science project that will put the principles and processes learned into practice.
UX Design is all about figuring out how real human users interact with everyday products - including websites and apps - to make sure the product is doing what it is supposed to for the user!  UX Designers conduct user research and work with engineers to build products with the user in mind.  In this track, you'll work in teams to conduct focus group research, design a clickable mobile app prototype, and test your product on potential users!
​Bringing to life the role of Product Manager, product management is all about how companies get products from their brainstorms to everyday users. In this track, you will learn the various components of product management- how a company develops new products from the planning stage to the final product launch. In this track, you'll work in teams to "launch" your own product, following the product life cycle from start to finish.  


PROGRAM INFORMATION
​By Region

  • NEW YORK
  • LOS ANGELES
  • MIAMI
<
>

FALL 2023 SEMESTER

Application Opens 
May 2023
Priority Application Deadline
​July 9, 2023
Final Application Deadline
August 6, 2023
Note: Applications received after August 6th will be reviewed on a rolling basis
Admissions Decisions sent via email 
Week of August 14th 
Student Orientation (In-person)
Week of September 11th
Semester 1 Technical Sessions (Zoom) 
Week of September 18th
Fall Demo Day Competition (In-person) 
December 7, 2023​
​*Mandatory Professional Development sessions will be scheduled throughout Fall and Spring semesters.​

SPRING 2024 SEMESTER

Semester 2 Technical Sessions (Zoom & In-person)
January - May 2024
Prep for Summer Internships
Throughout Semester 2
Graduation (In-person)
May 30, 2024

SUMMER 2024

Internship Bootcamp
June 2024
Paid Tech Internship
July - August 2024
End of Internship Celebration
August 2024

FALL 2023 SEMESTER

Application Opens 
May 2023
Priority Application Deadline
​July 9, 2023
Final Application Deadline
August 6, 2023
Note: Applications received after August 6th will be reviewed on a rolling basis
Admissions Decisions sent via email 
Week of August 14th 
Student Orientation (In-person)
Week of September 11th
Semester 1 Technical Sessions (Zoom & In-Person) 
Week of September 18th
Fall Demo Day Competition (In-person) 
December 7, 2023​
​*Mandatory Professional Development sessions will be scheduled throughout Fall and Spring semesters.​

SPRING 2024 SEMESTER

Semester 2 Technical Sessions (Zoom & In-person)
January - May 2024
Prep for Summer Internships
Throughout Semester 2
Graduation (In-person)
May 28, 2024

SUMMER 2024

*Students in our LA program will be eligible to apply for select roles as they become available. 
Internship Bootcamp
June 2024
Paid Tech Internship
July - August 2024
End of Internship Celebration
August 2024

FALL 2023 SEMESTER

Application Opens 
May 2023
Priority Application Deadline
​July 9, 2023
Final Application Deadline
August 6, 2023
Note: Applications received after August 6th will be reviewed on a rolling basis
Admissions Decisions sent via email 
Week of August 14th 
Student Orientation (In-person)
Week of September 11th
Semester 1 Technical Sessions (Zoom & In-Person) 
Week of September 18th
Fall Demo Day Competition (In-person) 
December 7, 2023​
​*Mandatory Professional Development sessions will be scheduled throughout Fall and Spring semesters.​​

SPRING 2024 SEMESTER

Semester 2 Technical Sessions (Zoom & In-person)
January - May 2024
Prep for Summer Internships
Throughout Semester 2
Graduation (In-person)
May 29, 2024

SUMMER 2024

*Students in our LA program will be eligible to apply for select roles as they become available. 
Internship Bootcamp
June 2024
Paid Tech Internship
July - August 2024
End of Internship Celebration
August 2024

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION

Students who have participated in Tech Flex Leaders have benefited greatly from the program. Benefits to students include: 
  • ​An opportunity to enhance their technology and digital skills 
  • An opportunity to connect with technology professionals 
  • A platform to build a number of individual and group projects 
  • A chance to work with students from different high schools​​
  • Access to AOT's college / university partnerships 
  • ​Access to other opportunities in the AOT network of support
  • A $1000 stipend for completion of the program 
  • [NYC ONLY] During the summer, students will place into paid internships and job opportunities through the AOT employer partner network where they will apply the skills gained in TFL. We continue to provide a support system through the summer, including scheduled virtual office hours and formal feedback mechanisms, to ensure that interns feel set up for success in their roles. Many interns have even been asked to extend their roles in a reduced capacity during the academic year or hired in future summers for more advanced roles. *Students in our LA and Miami programs will be eligible to apply for select roles as they become available. ​ 
AOT has strong hiring partnerships with such companies and organizations as Accenture, Apartment Therapy, Codecademy, Communitas, The GIANT Room, Girls Inc., InTech Camp, Mott Haven Film Festival, NBCUniversal, Teikametrics, Workopti, and YWCA. TFL alumni have also worked with AOT to secure internships at Amazon, Cisco, Lyft, Microsoft, Mount Sinai, Nielsen, Optum, United Healthcare, Visa, and many more.

SEE WHAT ALUMNI HAVE TO SAY:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

​Who is eligible to apply?
Rising high school juniors and seniors attending a New York City (all boroughs), Los Angeles County, or Miami-Dade/Broward County public or charter school are eligible to apply. Graduating high school seniors (Class of '23) would not be eligible to participate in the program.
  • Note: AOT prioritizes candidates who:
    • Self-identify as Hispanic / Latinx
    • Self-identify as African American / Black ​
    • Self-identify as females and/or girls and/or non-binary
    • Self-identify as LGBTQIA+
    • Attend a NYC, LA, or Miami high school that meets our Economic Needs Index
Do I have to live in New York CitY, Los Angeles, or MIAMI?
Yes. To be eligible to participate in the Tech Flex Leaders program you must be a resident of NYC (all boroughs), Los Angeles County, or Miami-Dade/Broward County.
Is the program virtual?
It is hybrid! Most technical sessions take place via Zoom. Mandatory Project Build Days, Student Orientation, Demo Days and Graduation will be held in-person. Applicants should be able to attend sessions in-person approximately four times a semester. In-person sessions will take place in the following locations:

NYC: Downtown Manhattan
LA: Downtown Los Angeles
Miami: Downtown Miami
When will I find out if I am accepted?
Application decisions will be send out the week of August 14th. Students who are accepted must submit their confirmation form and parent consent packet to reserve their space in the program by August 21st.
Do I need previous coding experience?
Nope. No prior experience is required - just the desire to learn!
Do I have to pay for this program?
The Tech Flex Leaders Program is completely free! In fact, students who successfully complete the program will earn a $1,000 stipend.
Do I have to attend every program session?
In order to be able to really learn the material, it is important that you are present for all sessions. Students who cannot commit to the full program should not apply.
What kind of technology do I need to participate?
In order to participate fully you'll need a laptop and/or desktop computer and a stable internet connection with video capability! Don't have those? Don't worry! Let us know in your application.
Who should I contact if I have questions about Tech Flex Leaders?
NY Programs: nyadmissions@americaontech.org
LA Programs: laadmissions@americaontech.org
Miami Programs: miamiadmissions@americaontech.org
Questions? Reach out to:
​
NYC Programs: nyadmissions@americaontech.org
LA Programs: laadmissions@americaontech.org
Miami Programs: miamiadmissions@americaontech.org