DAE Offers 20 Full Scholarships for Local High School Students

DAE, a Connecticut nonprofit democratizing access to 21st century digital career and life skills for underrepresented youth, has announced 20 full $10,600 scholarships are available for their 12-month immersive software engineering program in New Haven. Scholarship applications are being accepted through October 1st.

Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, DAE's Skills Academy is designed to rapidly increase mastery of technology skills for high school students from historically underserved communities. The project-based curriculum teaches the mindsets, skills, and interpersonal capabilities needed to be successful upon graduation and engage productively in the digital-era workplace.

“We aren't looking for the smartest, best public speakers, or most social – there are no entrance exams or minimum grade requirements at DAE,” said A.M. Bhatt, the nonprofit’s founder and CEO. “Instead, these scholarships are meant for students who demonstrate a commitment to using technology to make a positive impact…those with a desire to be the change agents our society so desperately needs.”

DAE is seeking students who love computer science and would benefit from greater access. The program is also designed for youth still searching for their sense of purpose – as well as those who have clarity about their values and the impact they wish to have on the world. Scholarship candidates need only fit one of the above criteria. Students interested in applying can visit myDAE.co/scholarship.

With a 91 percent retention rate for its youth and adult skills educational programming, DAE balances the content and context of learning – giving students the tools and support to shape their own future... to think, act, and value differently. DAE students, the vast majority of whom have never coded before, develop a variety of web platforms and products that demonstrate the rapid and highly individual-centric approach the nonprofit takes to developing young, values-driven tech professionals.

“If we want our young people to not only be successful, but to be able to create positive change in the systems we all live in, we need to give them the opportunity to explore their interests and surprise themselves with what they’re capable of creating,” said Kyley Komschlies, head of high school education and community.

Skills Academy students build multiple websites and mobile apps over the course of the year, ultimately creating a portfolio to showcase their abilities in future endeavors. Emphasis is also placed on product research, design, and development as well as digital life components that include human-centered design, social change, digital ethics and data, careers, and collaboration in a digital world.

Bhatt continued, “Whether it's college or straight into a career, DAE provides students with a significant head start in a fun, engaging, and supportive environment. Graduates leave qualified for entry-level jobs, from web design and development to support specialists, with high growth potential – right in their backyard.”

DAE is located at 470 James Street in New Haven and can be reached at (203) 401-8768 or by visiting mydae.org. For the latest news and updates, follow @DistrictArtsEdu on Facebook and @dae_nhv on Instagram.

About DAE

Connecticut nonprofit DAE uses education as a vehicle for social justice, nurturing underrepresented high school students and young adults with no-cost tech programs and access to digital career and life skills. Headquartered in New Haven with an additional location at Synchrony Skills Academy in Stamford, the nonprofit’s youth programs emphasize learn-by-doing development in a collaborative, nurturing environment, while the Adult Skills Academy offers a four-month immersion in software engineering. Balancing both the content and the context of learning, DAE strives to develop human beings who are highly technology-fluent and deeply humanity-centric. For more information, visit myDAE.org.