Today is #DigitalLearningDay, and at i.c. stars, we witness its power every day.
For 25 years, our work has harnessed the power of community to change perceptions, the power of project-based real-world learning to develop valuable skills, and the power of nontraditional talent to not only launch careers in tech but to lead in their communities.
Here’s what we know:
- Our “stars” bring resilience, lived experience, and drive—when given access to powerful learning and networks of champions, they become unstoppable.
- Our community of champions- volunteers, tea guests, employers, community partners, funders, board members, and more- fuel opportunity from their corners of the world. This powerful and diverse network of people have one thing in common: they believe in the brilliance of our “stars” and the importance of connecting them to opportunity.
- Our alumni community of “stars” represents over 1,000 “proof points” that when adults from nontraditional backgrounds gain access to learning that unlocks opportunity, they don’t just find jobs; they create generational wealth, lead in their communities, and change the world.
As we celebrate today and look to the future, may we champion the stars in our mist and transformative programs like ours that are activating the power of learning to brighten futures, ignite opportunity, and build communities.
Dr. Cheryl Camacho is an award-winning educator, executive leader, and entrepreneur who began her career as an alternatively certified 1st grade teacher in Atlanta Public Schools in Atlanta, Georgia in 2002 and went on to earn national board certification (master teacher status) in 2008. Throughout her career she has served in a variety of complex and challenging leadership roles where she has consistently led teams to surpass expectations and to redefine what people thought was possible. She has garnered an extensive and impactful track record of leadership focused on helping people, teams, and organizations leverage their unique strengths and assets to maximize positive impact. The magic ingredient to each success has been developing and launching a powerful learning strategy.
She currently serves as Chief Learning and Program Officer at i.c.stars, a national nonprofit focused on “activating a technology community of change agents to power social and economic freedom” through business, leadership, and technology training for non-traditional talent interested in launching careers in the tech sector. She also serves as the founder and CEO of the Black Butterfly Collective- a boutique consulting firm focused on supporting leader and team development and impact through powerfully customized and facilitated learning experiences and strategic advisory services. She holds a Doctor of Leadership degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a master’s in educational leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She serves her community as a mentor and classroom volunteer through her local school district, as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer, and as PTA president for her children’s school.
