If c
hildren are our future then why does it seem like most of our time and money is being spent on everything but children? If our world is going to be a healthy environment for our future generations, then we really should start to focus on the tools and resources that we are providing to these kids. How lucky for us that Computerwise Kids is right here in Woodland Hills and they are working every single day to equip and educate these future adults.
Started in 2006, Computerwise Kids was developed by then new mother Perin Lal. Perin was a talented architect who was thrilled to be a Mom but disturbed by the lack of computer resources for her children. Imagine that as a child trying to engage with a computer, you have no knowledge of how anything works. You don’t read English, you don’t understand how a keyboard works and you certainly don’t have the hand eye skill coordination down without the constant help of a parent. Perin and her husband JR realized that they could develop their own proprietary software that would teach all ages and skillsets how to develop critical computer skills that would grow with them as they grew.
Entrepreneurship is risky but Perin and JR knew in their bones that these were skills that kids must be taught. So they invested fifty thousand of their own dollars and developed every aspect of the program. They bought a portable cart, 10 laptops and hit the ground running. They would personally pack up all of the laptops, roll them into the school on the cart, set up 10 work stations, teach the class, pack up the stations, roll the cart back to the car and repeat this daily. Perin connected with school administrators and before they knew it, they were in 20+ LAUSD schools. As their kids grew, JR and Perin made sure that the curriculum did too. As technology changes, so does what Computerwise Kids teaches. They understand that these skills aren’t a matter of if kids need to have this knowledge but how soon they get exposed to it.
Tech Center
About a year ago, Perin and JR proudly opened the Tech Center. Located on Clarendon, near Ventura and Topanga, the Tech Center is open to the public from 3-6pm. Here kids can take classes and get hands on training. They are surrounded by other interested children and if you get a chance to visit, you will be blown away! This space Is truly an incubator for young minds and when talking to JR, you can sense his excitement for all that this place has to offer our local youth.
Computerwise Kids get it. Kids that are taught computer skills at a young age have a marked advantage over older kids that wait for their schools to teach them. If you have small children I would suggest to you that you take a field trip to the Tech Center and introduce yourself to Perin and JR. Talk to them about their afterschool program and explore the possibilities of introducing your children to the world of technology. Our future truly depends on it.
