Give the Gift of Opportunity
Early insight steers student to right college and career choices
Ridge Falco is one of those high school students we call a “Catapult rock star,” someone who got so much out of Nextech’s immersive computer science program because he put so much into it. Now in college studying computer science, he says he “wants to give back” to honor all the people who helped him find his way: He’ll be a teaching assistant for the Indianapolis cohort of Catapult this summer.
“Catapult gives you insight into what the day-to-day college and job experience might be that a lot of classes don’t. It’s valuable to get that while you’re still in high school.”
Catapult includes a summer internship and workshops throughout the school year. Falco first heard about it from a computer science teacher at Perry Meridian High School in 2019, when he was starting to get seriously interested in tech and CS.
“My dad originally went to Purdue [University] for something related to computers and always says he regretted not continuing in it. So, I’d grown up fascinated with computers, but this was the first time I was taking it as a course in school,” he said. “I was a pretty good student, and previous students had told my CS teacher that Catapult was a great thing to do. I applied and was lucky enough to be accepted.”
Living through current advances in artificial intelligence makes CS even more exciting, Falco said, yet potentially more daunting for some students who aren’t quite sure what to expect. That’s one area where Catapult is a huge help.
“It can seem like there’s a lot to learn at the very beginning, which can turn into a fear of an insurmountable wall to getting started. Even if someone has a slight interest in tech, they’re afraid it won’t translate into good grades,” he said. “Then, also, sometimes the idea of computer science is just sitting at a terminal creating programs, and people may think that is or isn’t interesting or complicated or difficult. Catapult gives you insight into what the day-to-day college and job experience might be that a lot of classes don’t. It’s valuable to get that while you’re still in high school.”
Though Falco’s dad rued moving away from a CS college education, it was the people involved with Catapult that convinced his son to pursue one.
“Catapult is an illuminating experience. If you’re kind of into tech, Catapult will give you the answer. You won’t have to guess about or regret your decisions about whether CS is for you,” he said.
Catapult staff took Falco and his cohort to meet consulting, testing, design and UX/UI employees, letting them see a world of career possibilities and make valuable professional connections. Falco also shadowed an employee at Salesforce, attending a business meeting and learning what comprised their day-to-day work life.
“Catapult gave me the opportunity to understand the professional landscape before I got to college and committed to my path in life. Having that knowledge before choosing my major was vital. Plus, it’s a great resume builder and life experience.”
Falco is now a sophomore at Purdue, “picking up where Dad left off” but mostly choosing a college respected for its CS program, he said. He made the Dean’s List in 2022 and plans to graduate in May 2025.
He’s determined to have at least one CS-related job lined up well before commencement.
“Catapult gives you a leg up on finding a job, especially because you develop connections with professionals. Already knowing somebody at a company and having industry professionals able to recognize your face and vouch for you is really valuable.”
Getting all that value is why Falco will be a TA with Catapult.
“I want to give back, and I want a summer internship related to my field to help me find future employment. What better place to do that? I’ll be able to have even more connections with industry professionals, and now that I’m going to be a prospective employee, I’m a lot better suited to build those relationships.”
Hear from other students how Nextech’s Catapult has changed their lives. Or give another student like Ridge Falco a leg up in preparing for a career in tech.
Ridge Falco is one of those high school students we call a “Catapult rock star,” someone who got so much out of Nextech’s immersive computer science program because he put so much into it. Now in college studying computer science, he says he “wants to give back” to honor all the people who helped him find his way: He’ll be a teaching assistant for the Indianapolis cohort of Catapult this summer.
“Catapult gives you insight into what the day-to-day college and job experience might be that a lot of classes don’t. It’s valuable to get that while you’re still in high school.”
Catapult includes a summer internship and workshops throughout the school year. Falco first heard about it from a computer science teacher at Perry Meridian High School in 2019, when he was starting to get seriously interested in tech and CS.
“My dad originally went to Purdue [University] for something related to computers and always says he regretted not continuing in it. So, I’d grown up fascinated with computers, but this was the first time I was taking it as a course in school,” he said. “I was a pretty good student, and previous students had told my CS teacher that Catapult was a great thing to do. I applied and was lucky enough to be accepted.”
Living through current advances in artificial intelligence makes CS even more exciting, Falco said, yet potentially more daunting for some students who aren’t quite sure what to expect. That’s one area where Catapult is a huge help.
“It can seem like there’s a lot to learn at the very beginning, which can turn into a fear of an insurmountable wall to getting started. Even if someone has a slight interest in tech, they’re afraid it won’t translate into good grades,” he said. “Then, also, sometimes the idea of computer science is just sitting at a terminal creating programs, and people may think that is or isn’t interesting or complicated or difficult. Catapult gives you insight into what the day-to-day college and job experience might be that a lot of classes don’t. It’s valuable to get that while you’re still in high school.”
Though Falco’s dad rued moving away from a CS college education, it was the people involved with Catapult that convinced his son to pursue one.
“Catapult is an illuminating experience. If you’re kind of into tech, Catapult will give you the answer. You won’t have to guess about or regret your decisions about whether CS is for you,” he said.
Catapult staff took Falco and his cohort to meet consulting, testing, design and UX/UI employees, letting them see a world of career possibilities and make valuable professional connections. Falco also shadowed an employee at Salesforce, attending a business meeting and learning what comprised their day-to-day work life.
“Catapult gave me the opportunity to understand the professional landscape before I got to college and committed to my path in life. Having that knowledge before choosing my major was vital. Plus, it’s a great resume builder and life experience.”
Falco is now a sophomore at Purdue, “picking up where Dad left off” but mostly choosing a college respected for its CS program, he said. He made the Dean’s List in 2022 and plans to graduate in May 2025.
He’s determined to have at least one CS-related job lined up well before commencement.
“Catapult gives you a leg up on finding a job, especially because you develop connections with professionals. Already knowing somebody at a company and having industry professionals able to recognize your face and vouch for you is really valuable.”
Getting all that value is why Falco will be a TA with Catapult.
“I want to give back, and I want a summer internship related to my field to help me find future employment. What better place to do that? I’ll be able to have even more connections with industry professionals, and now that I’m going to be a prospective employee, I’m a lot better suited to build those relationships.”
Hear from other students how Nextech’s Catapult has changed their lives. Or give another student like Ridge Falco a leg up in preparing for a career in tech.
Make an impact in the next generation of computer education. Your support makes an important difference and prepares students to fill the growing demand in today’s workforce.
