NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A nonprofit for under served students in New Haven and Stamford is getting ready to grow. In the new year, DAE (District Arts & Education) wiIl begin its expansion to more towns and cities in the area.
"There are 39,000 kids in CT that are identified as "underperforming," which is a nice bureaucratic way of saying, there are 39,000 kids that we have failed to do the work of properly engaging," said A.m. Bhatt, Founder & CEO of DAE.
Bhatt has made it his life's work to engage those students, bringing them into the tech field and helping them change the world. It all happens through an after school program that is entirely scholarship-based.
"Helping you discover, what do you care about in the world? What kind of impact do you want to have? But then using technology as a means to express all of that," Bhatt said.
The students go to their location on James St. in New Haven two to three days a week. They're taught the basics of software engineering, and then they use that knowledge to create something that will make a difference.
"The curriculum is hyper customized to the individual," Bhatt said.
On the organization's website, they say they're not looking for the smartest students, the best public speakers, the most social, or the the best students. They are strictly looking for students that are, "The most committed to using tech to have a positive impact in the world."
"I always wanted to do computer science," said Johanna Sampedro, a DAE student and a senior in New Haven Public Schools.
Before joining DAE, Sampedro said she was hesitant to join the tech field because there wasn't enough representation.
"Before, it was really bad and I was kind of scared to approach this field. But now, I'm really excited to enter and nothing will stop me," Sampedro said.
For Sampedro, she's looking to change the world by using technology to help those with disabilities. She just started creating a website, which she said was intimidating, but now when she has the help of her DAE mentors.
"You have a support system, so you're not really alone," Sampedro said.
Right now, around 50 students are in the New Haven DAE program, which is strictly involving software engineering.
There's another DAE hub in Stamford, where 80 students are learning software engineering, video production, and music and audio production. That program is now expanding to including students from Norwalk Public Schools, as well. Those students will be bused to the campus in Stamford.
In the new year, Bhatt said the New Haven campus will invite students to apply from public schools in Hamden, East Haven, and West Haven. Then, more hubs will open up in Bridgeport and Waterbury.
The program is at zero cost to students and their parents, paid for by a mix of funding from the state, private partnerships, and the districts. However, program leaders do say they want them to donate back into their community.
Some of the students from the adult education program have come back as teachers in their communities.
"Some students even come up to me, saying they're going to major in computer science after attending the program, or me just showing them some skills. So that is also just, rewarding it itself," said Mohameth Seck, a Software Engineering Instructor for DAE. Seck is one of the teachers who returned to the program after taking the course as an adult.
For more information on how to get involved with DAE, click here.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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