"who by both trade and passion wants to give kids a vision for what they could have and don't see"
There's definitely a huge need for this- but I think for everyone, not necessarily just those in poverty. From my middle class home town, most people I was familiar with from elementary school seem to be working at restaurants and the like. I could have definitely used a mentor to help me see the possibilities that my parents weren't familiar with. Now that I'm finally developing the self-awareness necessary to really go somewhere (hopefully) I've tried to think on how to help kids realize their potential, but in such a way as to be scalable. While maybe apps could help with self-esteem, it's probably not possible at this point to replace the knowledge and experience of a good mentor with a standalone information system.
I know the frustration I've experienced, so I can only imagine what it's got to be like coming from less- props to you for making it.
"There's definitely a huge need for this- but I think for everyone, not necessarily just those in poverty."
Absolutely. My wife works across the economic range, and there are opportunities everywhere. I've given talks at her school career days about software development, but that's certainly not the right fit for everyone (though perhaps everyone should at least try a little.) I do think that online forums open up worlds of experience and ideas that weren't as accessible in the past - like a vast library, perhaps a bit poorly edited. I think there's a key place for - coaches/mentors/counselors/teachers/friends - I don't know the best term - to help people adapt knowledge and ideas to their own interests, experiences and ambitions. I suspect the really great relationships like this don't scale. Someone might say 'Khan Academy', but I think the best situations are probably more like Y Combinator, and that looks more like a traditional classroom than it does an app. I say let 1000 flowers bloom... any attempt to lend a hand up to someone is to be valued.
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"who by both trade and passion wants to give kids a vision for what they could have and don't see"
There's definitely a huge need for this- but I think for everyone, not necessarily just those in poverty. From my middle class home town, most people I was familiar with from elementary school seem to be working at restaurants and the like. I could have definitely used a mentor to help me see the possibilities that my parents weren't familiar with. Now that I'm finally developing the self-awareness necessary to really go somewhere (hopefully) I've tried to think on how to help kids realize their potential, but in such a way as to be scalable. While maybe apps could help with self-esteem, it's probably not possible at this point to replace the knowledge and experience of a good mentor with a standalone information system.
I know the frustration I've experienced, so I can only imagine what it's got to be like coming from less- props to you for making it.
Absolutely. My wife works across the economic range, and there are opportunities everywhere. I've given talks at her school career days about software development, but that's certainly not the right fit for everyone (though perhaps everyone should at least try a little.) I do think that online forums open up worlds of experience and ideas that weren't as accessible in the past - like a vast library, perhaps a bit poorly edited. I think there's a key place for - coaches/mentors/counselors/teachers/friends - I don't know the best term - to help people adapt knowledge and ideas to their own interests, experiences and ambitions. I suspect the really great relationships like this don't scale. Someone might say 'Khan Academy', but I think the best situations are probably more like Y Combinator, and that looks more like a traditional classroom than it does an app. I say let 1000 flowers bloom... any attempt to lend a hand up to someone is to be valued.