The mission of TLI is to provide underrepresented students in grades 6-12 with the opportunities, tools, and motivation needed to pursue Computer Science related degrees. It also aims to assist students to excel academically, socially and professionally. TLI was founded by Tonya Edmonds when she was a student in our program, and the first cohort of students completed TLI in 2006. Currently, this free program serves approximately 80 middle school and high school students each summer. Some of the additional objectives of the program are to:
- Create a pipeline into Computer Science programs for students from groups who are traditionally underrepresented in the field.
- Enrich the community and enhance students learning and civic responsibility by serving the community through education and service-learning projects.
- Provide students with the academic success skills needed to transition from high school to college.
- Empower students and parents with the tools and resources to gain admission to selective colleges and universities.
TLI has two major components: