For four years, DPI’s Pritzker Tech Talent Labs have run Digital Explorers, a program to help middle school students develop computer science skills. Supported by Apple and the CME Group Foundation, Digital Explorers teaches students to code and build a mobile app using Swift. Through 2026, more than 100 middle school students have participated.
Traditionally, participants in Digital Explorers come to DPI headquarters in downtown Chicago for eight consecutive Saturdays. This year, for the first time, the program also went on the road: to Paul Cuffe STEM Academy, in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.
How we got here
A core component of PTTL’s mission is to build a more inclusive tech workforce, helping underrepresented populations find a pathway into tech careers. In a community where more than half of the households report an annual income of less than $50,000 a year, students in Auburn Gresham could benefit from opportunities like Digital Explorers. Kay Monelle, director of K–12 programs at DPI, reached out to Crystal Stevenson, Auburn Gresham community coordinator for UIC; Stevenson recommended Cuffe.
Monelle and her team gradually built a relationship with Cuffe Principal Marcus Ware and STEM Coordinator LaTonya Fairley. In February 2025, Fairley brought 80 students to one of DPI’s ChiTech Discovery Days: school field trips where students learn about Chicago’s tech ecosystem; participate in a robotics, computer science, or design thinking activity; and hear from a college student or professional in tech. Ware and Fairley invited Monelle and Program Coordinator Kenyanna Sanders to their black tie STEM night gala in December.
“The excitement and interest have always been there,” Monelle said.
Fairley was so excited about Digital Explorers that she and Ware discussed sending a bus from Cuffe every Saturday for any interested sixth through eighth graders, but found it was too expensive and logistically complicated. Instead, she asked Sanders if they would be willing to come to them.
Making things happen
On a cold January afternoon, the Cuffe Explorers are ready to work.
After a full day of school, seven students focus on instructor Joel Mutsinzi, who is teaching them Swift Playground. At the end of eight weeks, they’ll have a prototype for their apps, focused on helping to shape a healthier society.
But right now, it’s Week 2, and they haven’t learned yet about V-stacks and H-stacks; they’re in the design phase. By way of example, Mutsinzi shows them a simple health app with three screens and shows them basic coding. They follow his instructions, working independently. Sanders has given them clown noses to put on their laptops: blue if you understand and are available to help others, red if you need help yourself. It’s new territory for everyone.
At the end of this session, three students present their early designs. Adele’s idea is “Money Tracker,” a spending and payment app. Maura’s app, “Maura Sweets,” would allow the user to schedule appointments for braiding, nails, and the spa. John is working on “High Plan,” a scheduling app.
Cuffe STEM teachers Erin Donegan and Nikeya Lee observe the sessions as part of her own professional development. DPI staff rave about the enthusiasm of both the students and educators at Cuffe.
“School partnerships can be really tricky,” Sanders said. “The school day is ever-going, ever-competing with whatever things you have on your personal docket or a partnership docket, so it’s really nice that we can just make things happen.”
The final showcase
Six weeks later, it’s showcase day at DPI headquarters for all the Digital Explorers, including all ten Cuffe students. The program begins with a science fair–style gallery walk, where all the students present their app prototypes.
Two Cuffe students have been selected to present their ideas to their fellow students and guests: John demonstrates his more-developed High Plan, and Jaliyah unveils Perfect Health, a health tracker that allows the user to set goals for steps, glasses of water, weight, etc.
“I like to build and code things,” Jaliyah said. Although she had already learned some coding on her own through YouTube and asking teachers at school, Digital Explorers gave her a formal environment for it. At this point, her goal isn’t a tech career; she wants to be a lawyer. But regardless, her ambitions are big.
DeAndre Miller, Jaliyah’s dad, thinks that the introduction to entrepreneurship through app development will serve her well in any career. And while some students were pushed by their parents to do an extracurricular, he pointed out that signing up for Digital Explorers was completely her idea.
“She’s always been self-driven,” he said. “She’s got a go-getter vibe.”
Miller is one of several parents bringing bouquets for their students. Fairley said a parent texted her at 2 a.m., wanting to confirm the information about the event. Another set of parents arrived at 9:30 for the 11 a.m. event.
Mutsinzi noted the creativity of John’s and Jaliyah’s projects, which “felt very advanced for their age,” but truthfully was impressed by the whole group. “By the end of week eight,” he said, “it felt like we had accomplished so much in a short amount of time.
Larenz Johnson Jr., an aspiring football player, built an app called Football Fitness, aimed at eight-to-12-year-olds interested in playing football. It allows the user to set workout reminders and recommends different exercises based on the position the user is interested in training for.
Larenz’s parents, Larenz Sr. and Shaniquia Cooper, have noticed a difference in his behavior since starting Digital Explorers: he’s more focused on his schoolwork, and more creative.
“He’s always been a creative child,” Cooper said, “but this expanded his creative vision.”
They weren’t the only ones who saw a change. Fairley said Cuffe Explorers had an 89 percent attendance rate, the highest of any afterschool activity. The students are already looking forward to presenting their projects at Cuffe’s upcoming STEM night and career day.
Whether their students become software developers, lawyers, football players, or enter careers that don’t even exist yet, Cuffe educators are happy they had the exposure to coding. That’s exactly what Monelle and her team want to see as they work toward helping more students see a future in tech.