The nonprofit Generation YES organization has developed a new technology certification program based on its 20 years of research. The rigorous GenYES Certification model verifies that students not only possess skills but have real-word experience using these skills to transform their schools.
GenYES Certification requires a student to complete at least 100 technology assistance projects showing at least 25 hours of support for their school’s teachers and IT staff. Students must also show they worked with ten teachers while ensuring that 15 projects involved collaborating with peers. Once students have met all these prerequisites, they present their work to a team of Generation YES staff, educators, and existing GenYES certified students. This culminating interview gives the student a chance to describe the specific kinds of support they gave, how they collaborated with peers and experts outside their schools, and how they overcame both technical and organizational challenges.
