Rocklin High specialized program trains future tech leaders
Inside a classroom at Rocklin High School, students aren't just doing homework. They're keeping the district's technology running.
The Rocklin Institute of Technology, known as RIOT, is a career technical education program where students repair thousands of Chromebooks used across the district.
At first, students built computers out of old e-waste. Soon, the district asked if they could also fix Chromebooks.
"At the time, I was teaching chemistry and AP chemistry, and I said, 'I'll do it. I'll be the one,' " Werner said.
What began with just one student quickly grew into one of Rocklin's most in-demand classes. The program now caps enrollment at 40 students, with a waitlist of others eager to join.
The classroom runs like a tech company, with students cycling through teams to handle repairs. Along the way, they learn programming, troubleshooting, and IT support skills that stretch far beyond the classroom.
"I really enjoy being around technology and doing programming, coding, and I think repairing Chromebooks is pretty interesting," said junior Riya Kishore.
The program isn't just giving students hands-on experience. It's also saving the district a significant amount of money.
Werner says RIOT saves between $200,000 and $300,000 annually by cutting labor costs, salvaging parts from broken devices and handling repairs in-house.
"We save them on labor working on the Chromebooks, we save them even seeing it, and we save them on some of the parts because we harvest parts on some of the Chromebooks to reuse," Werner explained.
For students, the payoff goes beyond dollars. Many say it's the chance to apply what they've learned in school to real-world situations.
"It feels good, like you helped someone," Kishore said. "You're actually putting the skills you've learned in school into the real world instead of just an assignment or grade."
The program continues to grow, training the next generation of tech workers while keeping the district's classrooms connected.