Eight students from Excel Academy of Englewood, part of the Chicago Public Schools’ Options Network, recently attended the High-Tech Chi Youth Summit, held at Google Chicago. The event, part of Computer Science Education Week, was organized by Google, Discovery Partners Institute, Alternative School Network, and the City of Chicago Department of Family Services & Support Services CS for Success.

With the Windy City as the backdrop from Google’s sky deck, participants had the opportunity to learn alongside peers and a diverse group of students from across the city. The summit was divided into 60-minute breakout sessions, allowing students to engage in discussions about technology, engineering, computer science and coding, as well as learn about careers in the field.

Several Excel students observed the session, “CS Education: What Is It and How to Support Your Children At Home”, which covered the fundamentals of computer science. Organizers of the summit also taught a computer science lesson to attendees in the YouTube classroom.

Another popular course attended by five Excel students was, “Fan-Favorite Web Development: Build a Website About Your Fandom Using HTML/CSS”. They were able to put their new skills to use right away. During this course, they created personal webpages, practiced different coding methods, and conversed in HTML and CSS.

“I was able to learn about HTML and CSS while building a webpage in memory of my mother,” said Nautica Beckless, an Excel Englewood student.

Additionally, the summit provided students with the opportunity to meet with college recruiters who answered questions about higher education and the tech industry.

“Today was dope! This is something I thought I’d never experience being in the Google headquarters,” shared another Excel student, Josh Andrews.

To close out the day, students enjoyed lunch at the renowned Gus’s Fried Chicken, the reigning champion of the National Fried Chicken Festival.