bridge the wealth gap in education
providing children of low-income
families with access to technology-driven learning
mission
the world is becoming more technology-driven by the second. whether it be for everyday tasks like setting alarms, or for more important ones like managing finances, it is hard to deny that the abundance of tech is on an upward trend. many gen-z children are given access to technology at training centers and schools to aid with learning, but the same is not true for others. with technology's effectiveness comes its price, something that not all families can bear. connect&compute stands by the belief that a child's family background should not control their quality of education. our mission is to promote equal, fair, and effective education by providing schools in low-income areas with technology to enhance and stimulate their students' learning experience.
provide
technology
connect kids
to the world
inspire creativity
teach tech skills
foster
personal growth
about
executive team
sanjita pamidimukkala
sanjita pamidimukkala
executive director / east bay chapter lead
sanjita is currently a junior attending dougherty valley high school. she has been fortunate enough to have been given access to technology from a young age. her love for computers spurred at around age 8 and since then she has loved integrating technology into her life whether it be watching netflix or creating raspberry pi projects. sanjita has always felt strongly about the issue of education inequality and is known for raving about it to her friends. she directs her love for social change into activities such as speech and debate and women in STEM empowerment programs. sanjita was inspired to create connect&compute by combining her love for technology, equality, and working with children. she hopes to fight for and provide a more fair education system in which children’s opportunities are not limited by factors out of their control. apart from this project, sanjita enjoys watching a wide array of tv shows, volunteering, programming, getting involved at school, debating, and more!
gargi nigam
executive director / east bay chapter lead
gargi is currently a junior at dougherty valley high school. she was introduced to technology early on and was lucky enough to have it incorporated in her education. growing up in an affluent community, she and her fellow students are aware that they are incredibly privileged, unlike many other students. gargi believes that it is important for children to have access to technology just as more fortunate communities do. she says “students should not be limited or held back by aspects of their life that they cannot change and the quality of their education should not be restricted.” she spent this past summer outside working with, teaching, and spending time with children. gargi's passion for helping others and teaching is what brought her to connect&compute. she spends a lot of her time working as a lifeguard but in her free time, you can find her skiing or spending time with children.
natalie zhou
south bay chapter lead
natalie is currently a rising senior from cupertino and attends monta vista high school. technology has been an integral part of her life growing up in the bay area, and she’s extremely grateful to have had the chance to pursue her passion for computer programming. she joined connect&compute mainly because of her passion towards contributing back to her community and allowing everyone to have access to technology. she believes that all students should have the opportunity to pursue their interest in technology and learn about technology’s impact on society. she is very excited to contribute towards breaking down socioeconomic barriers by sharing technology with the underprivileged. she hopes to make an impact in connect&compute by drawing from her past experiences of community involvement, such as serving as a program coordinator in a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching stem curriculum to middle schoolers, volunteering in community service clubs at her school, and spending time teaching children at summer camps. outside of connect&compute, natalie enjoys playing the violin, dancing, hanging out with friends and family, and spending time with her cat.
katie cheng
peninsula chapter lead
katie is currently a sophomore at dublin high school. technology has always played an important role in her life and education that she is incredibly thankful for. with the belief that all children deserve that same experience, she is very excited to share this aspect of her life with other communities. from debating to volunteering, katie loves to discuss and challenge inequality in our world. she founded her chapter with the hope to make a lasting impact and meet new people! outside of connect&compute, katie enjoys catching up on current events, learning about biology, getting involved at school, and hanging out with friends and family.
sydney tran
st. louis chapter lead
sydney is currently a junior attending francis howell central. ever since she was four, she used my old computer to look up camp rock on disney.com jamming to the jonas brothers singing “play my music”. computers have been a part of her life whether it be watching netflix or online retail therapy. however, many poor schools in missouri do not have the technology to educate students. she strongly believes that the wealth of families should not dictate their children's quality of education. sydney's love for children and educating them are clear through her project to educate children on preventable diseases on behalf of health occupations students of america, fundraising for children’s congenital heart disease, as well her work with the current stl county executive’s campaign to listen to and redirect low income families to technological resources for virtual education. she hopes through connect&compute, the team will bridge a gap between poorer schools to the technology they are deprived of. in today’s world, technology is used more heavily, and withholding opportunity from underprivileged students will keep them from developing technological work skills they will need in the future. outside of connect&compute and politics, sydney loves to paint, watch youtube, and hang out with her friends.
catalina jarmamillo
south florida chapter lead
catalina is a senior from pembroke pines attending flanagan high school. she has been fortunate enough to have technology integrated into her everyday life for as long as she can remember and joining connect&compute allows her to advocate for those that haven’t. catalina enjoys working with children as a tutor and mentor, having the privilege to see firsthand what the impact of technology can have on a child’s enrichment. in addition to working with children, she is involved in her school and community as a debater, youth political advocate, campaign volunteer, and voting rights student leader. in all that she is involved in, catalina aims to advance social justice and equity. her passion for such involvement led her to the founding of her chapter, with which she hopes to continue making progress to bridge the gap in access to tech for the low-income schools and students in south florida. Outside of connect&compute, catalina enjoys exploring new music, playing with her cats, practicing yoga, and spending time with friends and family.
pr & marketing team​
aanya arora
alex siegel
corporate support
