SummerTEK Alumni – What They Are Saying

Hear what some of our incredible alumni have to say about their experiences in the program!

Barrington Black II

SummerTEK 2019

I participated in SummerTEK 2019. I really enjoyed the program. I learned a lot about networking and the instructors were great. I also enjoyed meeting and working with other students and the field trips to Microsoft.

Elizabeth Eyeson

SummerTEK 2015

In the past 5 years I have been involved with Colorado Futuretek, I have been blessed with many opportunities to learn and grow within the STEM discipline. From being a SummerTEK Student and Intern to tutoring for SilverTeks and interning in RTD’s IT Department, Colorado Futuretek has enabled me to explore a variety of computing-related fields in addition to gaining real-world experience. Furthermore, as a black woman, Colorado Futuretek has made me feel like I belong in this field and has inspired me to uplift others from backgrounds that are underrepresented in STEM.

Christian Glassiognon

SummerTEK 2016

When I first joined Colorado Futuretek through SummerTEK, I was interested in learning more about computers and was excited to receive my computer. However, once I truly understood the program, I loved the fact that I was constantly presented with more challenges and opportunities. I loved that I had the opportunity to build a newsletter website for the students, I loved being able to teach the seniors, having my first internship come as a result of CFTEK has helped shaped my life today.

Kolin Truesdale

SummerTEK 2019

The program was a great experience because I was able to connect with other people and work together as a team. I enjoy meeting new people because knowing there is a group of people that want to learn about technology and be able to help others with their knowledge is an amazing thing. Also having a group that was diverse brings more people together. I was thankful for the opportunity to work with new people and start an connection. SummerTEK has made me a better person and has prepared me for years to come.

Jessica Eyeson

SummerTEK 2018

I had a wonderful experience in the SummerTEK program. My favorite part of the program is how hard Mr and Mrs. Fontenot work to connect students with different opportunities in and out of Colorado Futuretek. I have participated in four paid internship and tutoring positions with Colorado Futuretek teaching technology to students ranging from middle school to senior citizens. The skills I learned from SummerTEK have also helped me in other areas such as the research opportunity I have in a psychology and neuroscience lab at the University of Colorado Boulder through my school. I am grateful for the doors the program continues to open for me.

Joey Muller

SummerTEK 2012

Participating in Colorado Futuretek’s programs has been a great experience. I remember looking forward to the after-school activities while in the CNET program. We covered quite a breath of material — from bits and bytes, to how computers work and building our own networks. The network simulation exercises, in particular, were a unique and interesting way to engage with the material, making the abstract concepts a bit more hands-on; the field trips with professionals in the industry also contributed to my understanding of how tangible the skills we were learning could be. After finishing CNET, I soon learned what a real impact computer networking could have for myself, as the skills and connections I gained directly led to my first internship in the IT/tech industry. This was an opportunity I certainly would not have had otherwise, but I’m glad I did as it’s influenced me in my career path since (I’m currently a Software Engineer)! In addition to all this, Colorado Futuretek has been an invaluable community. The instructors and staff are caring, some being mentors I still keep in touch with years later. Colorado Futuretek, beyond CNET, has had a huge positive impact on my life. I’m grateful for the organization, and the staff. I’m glad to contribute back, and I look forward to see Colorado Futuretek be successful for 10 years more.

Blake Buchanan

SummerTEK 2019

My experience at SummerTEK was really informative. I was working with the Cisco Packet Tracer application to learn about networking, and the month that I have been doing so, it has taught me a lot about it.

Kinara Young

SummerTEK 2019

I really enjoyed meeting new people. The trips to the Microsoft store were very interesting. It was cool to come up with business pitches. I was able to learn many new things while with Colorado Futuretek. They provided a warm, welcoming environment.

Matthew Coleman

SummerTEK 2018

SummerTEK was a wonderful experience that I’m glad I participated in. From SummerTEK, I have received experience in networking, the extremely valuable resource of Cisco classes, and also some experience in creating a business. Another big highlight for me was the instructor, Mr. Shellman. Not only was he very knowledgeable and great at teaching, but he is also very energetic and funny making sure that there was never a dull or boring lesson. I also loved my fellow classmates from SummerTEK. Throughout the entire program, I was always driven to perform well, in order get good grades, and it was so fulfilling for all of that hard work to be rewarded with my very own laptop. Overall I loved my experience and I couldn’t think of a better way I could have spent my summer.

Sydney Young

SummerTEK 2016

I enjoyed this program up to the very last day. I enjoyed the challenge everyday that was incorporated into all of the assignments we did. This was one of the programs that helped me down the pathway into majoring in computer science. The teachers assist you in learning and completing the assignments which is helpful in such a hands-on program.