Hi-tech dreams and determination can start at a very young age. Just ask Vyalex Management Solutions founder Alland Leandre, organizer of the 2008 Southern Maryland Youth in Technology Summit at the College of Southern Maryland’s Leonardtown Campus Dec. 16.

Al Leandre: Organizer of the first Youth in  Technology Summit Al Leandre received the  Black Engineer of the Year Entrepreneur award  in 2008. He is founder and owner of Vyalex, a  contractor specializing in Avionics Engineering  and Program Management Services.

At the age of 3, Leandre watched as his father boarded a plane to travel from his homeland of Haiti to the United States. “I remember thinking that one day I will know how this mysterious winged tube can travel to such wonderful places. I committed myself from that point to endeavor to learn as much as I could about flight,” said Leandre.

This past year, Leandre was awarded the National Black Engineer of the Year Entrepreneur Award. Leandre wants to provide the same kind of encouragement to Southern Maryland students. “We want to inspire students to graduate high school and provide them with incentives to excel in the areas of math and science,” said Leandre. “The idea is for them to connect the dots toward a great career in technology. This event will expose students to the opportunities that await them after college in both the private sector and the military.”
 
This first-ever youth technology summit, takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. is co-sponsored by C&M Solutions, Patriots Technology Training Center, LLC and CSM, gives high school, college and middle school students a chance to explore the fields of health care, science, technology, engineering and math.

“It is essential to reach as many young students as possible to expose them to the incredible variety of careers related to science and technology,” said Dean of the Leonardtown Campus F.J. Talley.

Attending students will interact with science and technology career professionals. Many of the activities are not only to help ,but to excite students about science and math. There are opportunities to ride and drive a Chevrolet fuel cell electric vehicle. Others will enjoy the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Pax River displays and demonstrations ranging from a telemetry tracking van, post-flight debriefing system for pilots and high-speed video playback technology used in crash simulation testing.

Students attending the  youth technology summit  will learn about avionics  and other science, technology  and math related fields  in a fun way.

“Students can learn first-hand how some of the coldest stuff in the universe can be used for navigation, magnetometers and precision clocks,” explained NAWCAD physicist, Dr. Frank Narducci.

“The summit will be a great opportunity for youth in our area to see first-hand how technology is used to support our men and women in uniform. Attendees will get a chance to fly a simulation of the Navy’s top-of-the-line fighter, the F/A-18. That doesn’t happen very often,” said Dr. Steve Naylor, an aerospace engineer with NAWCAD.

There will also be “hair-raising” experiments by Naval Surface Warfare Centers—Dahlgren Laboratory, Indian Head Division and the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technical Division engaging attendees in scientific experiments using electricity, magnets, liquid nitrogen, robotics, ultrasonic inspection units and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems Fuzes.

“Today, our country does not have enough mathematicians, scientists and engineers to meet our country’s needs. While we are obviously interested in people coming to work for the Naval Warfare Centers, we all have an obligation to demonstrate to our children the fun and excitement that comes from being able to create and produce a new product or service whether for DoD, the Navy or industry,” said Capt. Sheila Patterson of NAVSEA’s Dahlgren Laboratory.

CSM Chair of Business and Technology Division Jeff Tjiputra, who coordinates area robotics competitions, will bring sample robots created by students for participants to take for a spin.

For information or to pre-register online for the event look for the 2008 Youth in Technology Summit links on any of the story links provided above or contact Nina Graves at CSM’s Leonardtown Campus at (443) 550-6199 ext. 5312. Parents and students are encouraged to pre-register for the event online. Participants will be eligible to win a Nintendo® Wii™, an Apple® iPod™ and other prizes.

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