Melissa Zeiszler, the Dean of Steam at Kennedy Elementary School, helping students with Maker’s Market creations.
The Kennedy Maker’s Market, hosted at Kennedy Elementary School on March 12, provided students with hands-on entrepreneurial experience, combining creativity with academic skills for real-world applications with AIM’s assistance.
AIM played a key role in guiding students through the process—helping them choose company names, design logos and create promotional posters with pricing guides. The team also provided technical support for a standout project: a student-run custom ringtone business, ensuring seamless product delivery.
“One of the student teams wanted to make and sell custom ringtones. This innovative idea gave us the chance to shine. Getting the ringtones from the app they were created in and delivered to the customer was a complicated situation, but the expertise of AIM staff provided the technical support necessary to build a system so the kids could deliver their product,” said Isaac Piper, AIM Director of Innovation Programs.
AIM staff was involved in helping supervise groups of students as they were making, labelling, and packaging their products.
This year the students surpassed last year’s totals, and over half the businesses sold out of their products, contributing to a highly successful fundraising event that supports student activities. The market’s success highlights the impact of hands-on learning and AIM’s ongoing support for Omaha-area youth.
AIM Institute hosted a TRIO Day recognition event for Omaha-area high school students that AIM serves, on Friday, March 14 at the Kiewit Luminarium.
The event commemorated National TRIO Day, a day that allows students who benefit from the TRIO programs to be inspired and give back to their local community through acts of service.
The students selected the topics they wanted to learn about. Keynote speaker, nationally known TikTok content creator, Bryan Hicks, discussed technology and gadgets. His “BryanTechTips” has over 100,000 followers on TikTok. Dr. Ben Petersen also spoke during the keynote. Petersen is a popular content creator and Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Certified Nutritionist based in Lincoln.
AI is everywhere and a panel of experts unpacked what Artificial Intelligence is all about for the students. The panel included AIM’s President and CEO Dala Alphonso. Other panelists were Dmitriy Khots, VP, Data Analytics at Boys Town where he oversees the AI/ML/BI practice, innovation and transactional fundraising, and Stephanie Velez, a dynamic professional with a strong foundation in healthcare, technology and artificial intelligence.
Students participated in a volunteer activity for Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, received a tour of the Luminarium and enjoyed hearing the different speakers.
AIM has helped provide certification to 18 adults who recently graduated from AIM Code
School’s Foundations of Web Development and Foundations of Tech courses, which are
accredited by the Nebraska Dept. of Education. The event highlighted the achievements
and milestones students made throughout the course. At the Jan. 8 graduation
ceremony, graduates also received free refurbished Chromebooks donated by AT&T
and Human I-T through AT&T’s partnership with the AIM Institute. Over the past several
months, over 100 youth and adults enrolled in AIM Institute programs received the free
laptops from AT&T as part of its ongoing AT&T Connected Learning® initiative to help
address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption.
If you are interested in continuing your tech education, check out our Code School
programming at this link: https://aiminstitute.org/programs/technical-training/aim-code-
school/.
In the photo above, proud graduates receive their new AT&T Chromebooks, thanks to AT&T’s partnership with AIM. Also pictured are AIM representatives: course instructor Jorge Grimaldo (second from far right), AIM President and CEO Dala Alphonso (far right) and in the back, Brett Berkebile, Director of AIM Code School and Technical Training.
On Friday December 6, over 100 Omaha-area high school students part of AIM’s Youth
Academy Upward Bound and Talent Search programs gathered at the Ashton at Millwork Commons for a
day of college and career exploration at the AIM Academies Winter College and Career
Fair.
At the fair, students received free refurbished Chromebooks generously donated by
AT&T and Human I-T. The AIM Institute sincerely thanks AT&T for its partnership in
working together to help youth and adults bridge the digital divide to support academic
and career success.
AIM’s Charles Kaup (left) with AT&T’s Christian Karch, who announces the laptop donation to
the students.
The students who participated are part of AIM’s Youth Academy, which has a partnership
with Upward Bound and Talent Search to serve first-generation/under-resourced youth
headed for college. The students were from Benson High School, Bryan High School,
Papillion La Vista High School, Papillion La Vista South High School, and Thomas
Jefferson High School. Students also had the opportunity to meet with representatives
from colleges and universities, explore career paths and build connections that will help
pursue their futures in post-secondary education.
Join us today on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3! Consider investing in our efforts at the AIM
Institute to grow a strong and diverse tech community through education, career
development and outreach. Join in through our page on Share Omaha and Share Iowa.
Donations will go toward supporting individuals interested in tech, including under-
resourced youth and adults. Through an array of programs, AIM provides tech
education, community connections, and personal development. There are so many
different types of tech careers, and they are needed by organizations in our region. Help
provide people with the tools to enjoy a rewarding career in technology.
Visit our ShareOmaha and ShareIowa profile or our GiveButter profile.
