In our four years’ of existence, Chartbeat has always been the type of place that’s been focused on learning. And as our startup continues to grow, the big ask becomes more about how we share our knowledge and expertise with the next generation of tech enthusiasts. We want to be a part of a person’s decision to do big things in tomorrow’s Silicon Alley.

Last week, Chartbeat had the privilege of working with The Young Women’s Leadership School (TWYLS) of Astoria for the second year in a row. To give you some background, TWYLS focuses on providing young women between 6th and 12th grade high quality learning opportunities both in and out of school. These women are typically low-income students who will be the first in their families to go to college. Pretty big deal, huh?

We had a great time designing a day that centered on the girls brainstorming, developing their ideas, and actively participating in discussions. After all, what kid wants to sit in a conference room for four hours of meetings? So we talked about startups they could relate to and watched them tackle daily problems through the eyes of a creative entrepreneur.

CEO, Tony Haile opens the day with some inspiring thoughts. The British accent was a hit.

“The start-up activity was perfect. Once the quiet girls started talking, I knew they had them! I loved how the volunteers were able to tease out the students’ unique stories and voices, and have them imagine a business centered around them and their experiences. They loved being able to draw logos on the glass tables!” – Amanda (TWYLS Chaperone)

We had an amazing time. Thanks for hanging out with the Chartladies, TWYLS!

This was an exercise in sharing our knowledge about entrepreneurship, technology, and introducing them to the concept of startups. The funny thing is, these 15 ladies taught us a thing or two about what it’s like to share our culture of learning. Want to volunteer? Reach out and I’d be happy to put you in touch with their team directly.