TechCo Savvy takes STEM education to Chicago streets with home design projects
CBS News Chicago is focusing on groups working to end gun violence in the city ahead of Chicago's Race Against Gun Violence in Grant Park.
One such organization is TechCo Savvy, a nonprofit designed to take science, technology, engineering and mathematics education out of the textbooks and onto the streets of West Garfield Park, in the form of home design. Lawon Williams is the president and founder.
"My idea behind TechCo Savvy was to break down that barrier to let them see that this is something that's very attainable," he said.
A former Chicago Public Schools teacher and football coach, Williams sought to give West Side youth real-world experiences by designing homes and seeing them built — and developing skills with each step of the process.
"It also ties in project management, problem solving skills, financial literacy, communication, networking, and doing all these business administrative skills," said Williams.
On one side of the diagonal Fifth Avenue in West Garfield Park, buildings designed and completed by TechCo Savvy are now standing. Right across the street, what was an empty plot of land is the site of the group's next project.
"This is really actually a really good experience for them to see it from ground up and see all the pre-construction work that needs to go to it," Williams said.
Keontay Fox is among the youth Williams has taught and mentored who marvel at home design becoming reality.
"For us, it was really surreal seeing it be literally a plot, and then seeing how the contractors come in and the demolition team come in," Fox said
Fellow student developers Jeremiah Kelton and Marshall Douthard Jr. were equally impressed.
"Didn't expect to see this like, like it's beautiful, amazing," Kelton said.
"The managing side and developing side is probably my favorite," said Douthard, "just seeing all of the factors that play into it, the loops that you have to go over."
The young men say the skills and opportunities they have experienced through TechCo Savvy are invaluable.
"These lessons as far as this will take me anywhere in the world, I believe," said Douthard.
For Williams, seeing the young people focused on a project site gives him comfort, knowing that they are safe.
"We're keeping them in a safe space for the summer," said Williams. "We're preventing them from being somewhere where they're not supposed to be, or anything — violence, or gun violence, or things that could happen."
Williams sees TechCo Savvy growing, to impact more youth and help them and their communities thrive.
"Anytime we get an opportunity to like impact youth or young adults in those types of ways, I think that's going to be the biggest bang for our buck as far as curbing violence, curbing all of these things that are going on in our community," Williams said.
