The objectives of the LISTA’s Techno Centro include —

I.             Demystifying Information Sciences and Technology for traditionally under served minorities with a history of limited access and knowledge;

II.          Building confidence and knowledge among students, adults, and families of the emerging information terrain defined by the Internet and emergent wireless functions before the technology gap widens further;

III.        Providing community access to IS&T, including for returning military veterans, building student, adult, and family engagement in technology-oriented structured learning opportunities; and

IV.   Enabling students, families, and returning military veterans to have access to technology and information otherwise not available or cumbersome to access.

In advancing these objectives, LISTA’s Techno Centro:

I.            Conducts programs for students in District schools during school hours, introducing students to speakers and multi-racial role models in the information sciences and technology professions, and providing informational workshops and daytime math and science tutoring,

II.         Implements a structured after-school program of intensive math / science tutoring, at the Center, combined with career workshops, concrete-learning projects, and technology access opportunities employing conventional computers as well as smaller wireless devices, incorporating the strengths of after school clubs, the social atmosphere of Internet cafés, small learning circles, and engaging projects and activities to build student academic performance, team and social-skills, career knowledge, and technology competence, and

III.       Implement a Community Access program at the Center (a) providing technology access to sources of support for English language acquisition with an emphasis on usable concepts and terminology in necessary skill areas; (b) increasing usable knowledge of IS&T to support inquiry into American society and its institutions of government, finance, education, employment, and health and human services; and (c) conducting formal courses and workshops designed to improve the technology skills of minority business professionals in order to increase their understanding of information technology and improve their value to employers.
 

Community access and professional courses and workshops will demystify technology and build knowledge incrementally, beginning with overviews of the Internet and networking, introducing participants interested in developing more advanced skills to database management systems, security, software, project management, and the development life cycle, programming languages, programming tools and techniques and an explanation of computer hardware. In all Center programs, computing and information technologies will be presented and explained in a manner understandable to minorities, including those with Limited English Proficiency, at various basic skills and educational levels.