Americaneagle.com Gives Local High School Students a Glimpse Into Future Technology Careers

Downers Grove North High School students experienced a day of career exploration at Americaneagle.com last week. The group, consisting of AP Computer Science seniors, came away with an array of valuable insights and the inspiration to chart out a career in the technology industry.

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Americaneagle.com opened the doors to its headquarters in Des Plaines, IL on Friday to an engaged and eager group of students. The class learned from Americaneagle.com’s very own developers, programmers, and UX designers, who shared details on their work and how they got where they are today. Through interactive activities and job shadowing, students had a unique chance to actually see what life could be like after college and envision a future in the industry.

“As the industry continues to shift, it’s important to get out of the classroom and see what a technology career is really like,” Americaneagle.com CEO Tony Svanacini said. “These students were sharp as a tack and we hope to offer even more opportunities like this in the future.”

The AP Computer Science class is one of many courses in Downers Grove North’s Career and Technical Education department. Courses within this department prepare students through hands-on exploratory activities, enabling them to make informed choices about their futures. Many of the students that visited were unaware of the flexibility and depth that the technology industry had to offer. They walked away with more defined career goals and a deeper understanding of a day in the life of a technology professional.

“Downers Grove North teachers are district innovators and are committed to creating new opportunities for students that connect them to careers in a meaningful and authentic way,” Melissa Damewood, Career and Technical Education Department Chair said. “It just takes one day like this to spark the flame that creates the momentum in students to achieve their goals. Americaneagle.com gave them that spark today.” 

Americaneagle.com hopes to reach out to the community in similar ways through a new pilot program that mentors local students with interests in the technology space. Dubbed ‘Eagle Academy,’ the program will provide interactive activities, training, and hands-on experiences for high school and college students that are just starting their careers.