EchoX’s DIGITIZE hosts a paid workshop opportunity for Washington State high school students to learn and explore digital storytelling through web design centered around one’s ethnic and cultural identities. Student participants in this workshop receive compensation upon submission of their final piece.
HTLCO on Voices!
Inspiration – An Interview with the Creator of “How to Look Cool Online!” by Amy Imsdahl, EchoX Staff
“How to Look Cool Online!” Youth HTML Workshop Winners Revealed by Ann Wright, Executive Director
Five Reasons Why: Spring 2022 Fellow Reflects on her Experiences with EchoX by Hidaya, Spring 2022 Fellow
2024 “How to Look Cool Online” Websites by EchoX Staff, 2024 HTLCO Cohort
2024 “How to Look Cool Online” Web Development Workshop Recap by EchoX Staff, Workshop Participants
The 2024 Workshop Team
Aaron Ottinger – Lead Teacher and Workshop Lead (He/Him)
Aaron is the Education Consultant for EchoX’s DIGITIZE Program. At present, he is a full-time instructor in the English Department and affiliate faculty in the Department of Diversity and Globalism Studies at Highline College, a local community college at the south end of King County. His research and writing focuses on digital colonialism and the environment, and the history of literature and mathematics.
Ann Wright – Workshop Manager (She/Her)
Ann is the co-founder and Executive Director of EchoX. As a mom of three multi-ethnic children, she is passionate about offering a space for teens to support each other as they express their identities, cultures, and heritage.
Desiree Walker – Workshop Coordinator (She/Her)
Desiree is the current Community Engagement Coordinator and Event Planner for EchoX. She is a recent Graduate of the University of Washington receiving a B.A. in American Ethnic Studies and a Minor in Diversity. Through curating resources in the EchoX resource center she provides resources and opportunities for the community. She is most proud to create a safe space for youth to learn and grow through her work with Digitize programs.
Nhat Do – Teaching Fellow (He/Him)
My name is Nhat Do. I moved from Saigon, Vietnam, to Seattle when I was just three months old, and I’ve been living there ever since. I am currently a senior at Franklin High School while enrolled in Running Start at Seattle Central College. Ideally, I would like to get a bachelor’s degree in computer science at a four-year university. But I’m also interested in UX/UI design. As for my hobbies, I enjoy ice skating with my neighbors at a rink in Tacoma. We usually participate in speed skating tournaments that are locally hosted. I also enjoy playing video games such as Stardew Valley.
Junyu Zhu – Teaching Fellow (He/Him)
Hi! My name is Junyu, I’m currently a senior at Franklin High School, dual enrolled in Running Start at Seattle Central College, and I plan to major in Computer Science at UW. Despite my interest in CS, I’m a very active person. I enjoy going to the gym and I play competitive badminton at state level. Going on walks with loved ones might be my favorite thing in the world! I love a healthy balance between being online and going outside.
The 2024 Expert Panel
A three-person panel, with differing perspectives, reviews the websites helping students grow in their communication skills, technical skills and presentation skills.
Carolyn Callaghan (she/her) is a Part-Time Faculty Librarian for Seattle Colleges. A graduate of the University of Washington’s Information school, she studies critical information literacy, textuality, and digital humanities. She is especially interested in the ways that digital spaces build community, improve access to resources, and innovate how we create cultural memory and share collective narratives. She has been on the HTLCO expert review panel for four years.
Jacob Arnez (he/him), the creator of HTLCO, is a founding member of the DIGITIZE Youth Council and a graduate of Jackson High School. He is now a senior at the University of Portland where he is majoring in C.S. He became interested in web development to create online content without having to go through social media sites like Instagram or YouTube. After participating in the workshop the first year, he joined the HTLCO expert review panel and has now been part of the panel for the last 3 years.
Randy Pagulayan (he/him) is the General Manager for Research for gaming at Microsoft. As a pioneer in this space, Randy has led user research efforts on numerous high-profile franchises, including Age of Empires and Halo, as well user research across Microsoft’s gaming services and platforms. Throughout his career, he has co-authored several book chapters on user research methods in gaming, given numerous talks and keynotes internationally, and has been featured in Wired magazine, National Public Radio, and Official Xbox Magazine (OXM). Randy has a BA in Psychology from the University of Maryland, and a PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Cincinnati. He has been on the HTLCO expert review panel for four years.
How to Apply:
Applications for “How to Look Cool Online!” are currently closed.
If you want to be notified for our next opportunity, join our mailing list!
Questions, comments, or concerns? Email digitize@echox.org and a member of our team will get back to you shortly. Interested in our youth opportunities? Check out our Instagram page for the latest announcements and updates.
This workshop is sponsored by the City of Seattle, Andrew & Edelveis Clapp, and The Suquamish Tribe.
