Pritzker Tech Talent Labs / Programs for High School and Community College Students / Digital Explorers

Digital Explorers

The Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), with support from Apple and CME Foundation, provides an exciting, hands-on opportunity for middle school students (6th – 8th grade) in our Digital Explorers program. Digital Explorers (DE), an eight-session mobile app development program for middle school students (6th through 8th grades) with an interest in tech, but limited experience, access, or awareness. DE will utilize Swift Playgrounds, Everyone Can Create curriculum, team-building activities, and human-centered design thinking challenges. Students will work with High School Near Peer Mentors and College Mentors enrolled at City Colleges and Chicago-area universities and develop skills in problem-solving and team building through human-centered design thinking activities.

Apply for the Digital Explorers Winter 2025 – Spring 2025 Cohort

DIGITAL EXPLORERS

Students in 6th through 8th grades participate in hands-on sessions to develop coding and designs for apps using Swift Playground – a powerful programming language created by Apple and used by tech professionals to build today’s most popular apps.

Digital Explorers: January 25, 2025-March 15, 2025

All applicants must be able to attend the Student and Parent/Caring Adult Orientation virtually on Thursday, January 16, 6pm.

Apply Here

We invite you to attend our virtual information session!

During this virtual information session, you and your caring adults will get to learn about Digital Explorers, how our unique program works, learn key benefits for students, and have the opportunity to have your questions answered. Register for a session below! (Sessions will take place on the Zoom virtual meeting platform – a device, computer or phone, will be required)

Students and all caring adults are invited (family, mentors, teachers, counselors).

Click the links below to register for one of the following DE info sessions.

Monday, November 18, 6:00pm: Register Here

Monday, December 9, 6:00pm: Register Here

Full Report

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Get Involved

Are you a student who would like to learn about tech and connect with practitioners in Chicago’s
dynamic tech community?
Are you a parent, teacher, or other caring adult who would like to recommend a student for
participation in our programs?
Are you an employer or donor who is interested in supporting our efforts through partnership?
Sign up for more information! Click here to fill out our interest survey!

Please contact Lindsey Vetvick, Associate Director of High School Programming at lvetvick@uillinois.edu or Jaclyn Carmichael, Assistant Director of High School Programming at jaclync@uillinois.edu for additional questions or more information!