New Tech Now (NTN) brings people together to build better lives through new technology by providing technology equipment and training to veterans, seniors, disabled citizens, teachers and underserved youth.

Since 2017, NTN presented workshops and trainings to 1,200 youth in schools and summer programs, 720 senior citizens, 200 veterans and others, helping under-resourced communities bridge the high-tech divide.

We focus on 3D printing and 3D scanning, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), coding and precision cutting, and we introduce participants to Tinkercad to design and code 3D objects; Scratch and CoSpaces to create interactive stories and media; Tilt Brush to paint room-wide 3D, virtual reality spaces; ZapWorks for AR marketing and Canva for graphic design. The acronym STE2AM describes our approach of fostering Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Art and Math.

A small start-up grant enabled us to create a Portable Maker Space of high-tech equipment that travels to schools, VA hospitals and other community facilities throughout Alachua and nearby counties. Currently, we focus primarily on reaching students who are disabled, very low-income or at risk of dropping out, introducing new technologies and skills that will help them prepare for 21st century jobs and tools like AR, VR and multimedia that make learning more engaging and helps keep them in school.

To date, Janalyn Peppel, a founding member, has led ALL of NTN’s workshops and trainings. The demand for our programs is soaring and our original equipment is fast wearing out. NTN plans to train more presenters and teachers and to create additional Portable Maker Spaces to meet growing demand.

However, our most urgent need is replacing and upgrading our current equipment so we can continue our current level of work.