While most organizations were still recovering from the holidays, We Create Tech was already in full swing—running weekly workshops, mentoring students through certifications, and launching programs that don’t just teach tech, but transform lives.
Here’s what January and February 2026 have looked like for us.
CreativX Lab: Every Tuesday at Best Buy Teen Tech Center
We launched CreativX Lab—a brand new weekly workshop series every Tuesday from 4-6pm at Central Library’s Best Buy Teen Tech Center. This isn’t your standard “learn to code” class. This is where AI meets music production, where cybersecurity training becomes scam-busting detective work, where students don’t just consume technology—they create with it.
What students have built so far:
Week 1: Training AI (January 20)
Students learned how AI actually learns—and more importantly, why it matters who’s training it. Using tools like TeachableMachine.com and Hugging Face, students trained AI models with their own voices and experiences. Why? Because if young people from underrepresented communities don’t participate in training AI, their perspectives get erased from the technology shaping our future. Read more about this session.
Week 2: Cybersecurity & Scam Detection (January 27)
Teens learned pattern recognition, URL detective skills, and real scam analysis. They walked through scenarios of phishing attempts, fake websites, and social engineering tactics—then earned certificates in digital literacy. Now when they see “You’ve won a free iPhone” in their DMs, they know exactly what’s up. Read more about this session.
Week 3: AI Music Production (February 2)
Using Suno AI, students created original songs that told their stories. They wrote lyrics, selected beats, and generated tracks about friendships, school, dreams, and what matters to them. Then they presented their songs in the Best Buy Teen Tech Center’s recording studio. The result? Students who walked in never having produced music left with original tracks and the confidence to keep creating. Read more about this session.
Week 4: Bluetooth Speaker Engineering (February 9)
Hands-on electronics. Students built working Bluetooth speakers from scratch, learning soldering, circuitry, and how sound technology actually works. Because understanding how things are built is just as important as knowing how to use them. Read more about this session.
CreativX Lab isn’t slowing down. Every Tuesday, we’re back—teaching students that technology isn’t something that happens to them, it’s something they can build.
NextGen Tech Collective: Free Programs for Everyone
NextGen Tech Collective is our commitment to removing barriers to tech education. All programs under NextGen are 100% free to students and families—no hidden costs, no application fees, no prerequisites.
Homeschool STEM Kits (Second Wednesdays)
Our partnership with Fulton County Library System brings free hands-on STEM to homeschool kids ages 7-17. Every second Wednesday at 11am at Central Library’s Best Buy Teen Tech Center, students explore coding, robotics, engineering, and chemistry through interactive kits and guided projects. See photos from our recent session.
In January, students:
- Built robotic hands from scratch at the Robotics station
- Created erupting volcanoes at the Chemistry station
- Made fake eyes and glow-in-the-dark goo at the Mixing station
It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s exactly what hands-on STEAM education should be.
Free Virtual Workshops
NextGen Tech Collective also offers free monthly virtual workshops open to students and community members anywhere, covering:
- Coding fundamentals
- Music production and beat-making
- Career development in tech
- Resume and portfolio building
These sessions remove geography as a barrier, ensuring anyone with internet access can learn.
Tech For Good: Atlanta Teens Building an App for the Homeless
Here’s the big news: We’ve been selected by the Best Buy Foundation to mentor three Atlanta teens as they build an app to connect people experiencing homelessness with resources, services, and support. Read the full story.
This isn’t a hypothetical project. These students:
- Ran a successful clothing drive last fall, collecting 10 boxes of winter essentials for the Salvation Army
- Produced a podcast documenting the process and amplifying volunteer voices
- Got accepted to present at the Best Buy Foundation Charity Classic Showcase in Minneapolis this June
Now they’re designing an app with features like:
- Service mapping showing nearby shelters, meal programs, and hygiene stations
- Real-time resource availability
- Volunteer connection tools
They’re co-designing the prototype with Best Buy mentors, and We Create Tech is providing the technical guidance and community partnerships to make it real.
This is what tech education should look like: students identifying real problems in their communities and building real solutions.
TechRise: Expanding Beyond Google
TechRise just got bigger. We’ve expanded our scholarship partnerships to include Coursera, which means students now have access to certifications across:
- AI & Machine Learning – Build the future of intelligent systems
- Data Science – Turn data into insights
- Cybersecurity – Protect digital infrastructure
- Engineering – Design, build, innovate
- Creative Fields – Digital media, UX design, graphic design
Combined with our existing Google Career Certificate programs and CompTIA pathways, TechRise students now have more certification scholarships available across various tech and business disciplines.
And it’s not just about certifications. Every TechRise student gets:
- One-on-one mentorship from industry advisors
- Career development support with our industry partner Career Circle
- Resume building and interview prep
- Job search assistance and internship connections
- Access to our 24/7 Learning Management System (LMS)
Students in Atlanta, Illinois, Malawi, and beyond are earning certifications that lead to real jobs with real salaries. This is economic mobility, not charity.
What’s Coming Next
Dance Code Create Summer 2026
Our flagship summer camp with Georgia Tech is coming back. Dance + Coding + Music Production for 50-60 middle and high school students. Applications opening soon.
VR World Launch
We’re building a groundbreaking virtual space for immersive, interactive learning. Tech education meets the metaverse—where students learn, create, and collaborate in ways that weren’t possible before.
Why January Matters
While other organizations were still “planning for the year,” we were already delivering. Because students don’t wait for perfect timing. They need us when they’re ready to learn.
Every Tuesday workshop. Every certification earned. Every app built. Every student who realizes “I can actually do this”—that’s what 2026 is about.
We’re not just running programs. We’re building a movement.
Get involved:
Students: Join CreativX Lab Tuesdays 4-6pm at Central Library Best Buy Teen Tech Center, or apply for TechRise here
Advisors: Sign up to mentor TechRise students
Supporters: Donate to expand our reach in 2026