UTICA, NY - Earlier this week, Utica City School District (UCSD) students visited SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) for ICAN’s Tech It Out, a day of interactive learning, career exploration, and campus engagement. The event was held in partnership with the Integrated Community Alternatives Network (ICAN), Griffiss Institute, and Quanterion Solutions Incorporated to inspire students to explore technology-driven careers.

Throughout the day, students took part in hands-on STEM activities, toured SUNY Poly’s campus, and explored the Center for Global Advanced Manufacturing (CGAM). SUNY Poly led activities introducing basic electronics concepts and guided participants in creating their own wearable device.

Quanterion Solutions Senior Program Manager for Cybersecurity and Intelligence, Cully Patch, led a session designed to inspire students toward careers in STEM fields. Drawing from his own journey—from learning from his grandfather to serving as an F-15 aircraft maintainer in the U.S. Air Force—Patch connected the value of STEM courses, career-related experiences, and hands-on learning to students’ future success. He also led an engaging exercise demonstrating real-world communications concepts.

“We don’t know what we don’t know—but events like this help open the door,” said Patch. “When students can explore new ideas and get hands-on with technology, they start to see the paths that could lead to their own rewarding futures.”

Erica Schoff, Senior Director of Academic Programs and Workforce Pipelines at Griffiss Institute, spoke with students about potential career pathways in technology, engineering, and defense-related fields. “When we bring together strong partners and give students the chance to explore career possibilities early, we’re planting the seeds for their future,” said Schoff. “Experiences like Tech It Out spark curiosity and help students start envisioning the paths they can take—and the skills they’ll need—to turn those visions into reality.”

“Programs like ICAN Tech It Out allow students to see the direct connection between what they learned and the exciting career opportunities that await them,” said John Reade, Director of Pre-Collegiate Outreach at SUNY Poly. “By bringing together partners like ICAN, Griffiss Institute, and Quanterion Solutions, we showed students that the Mohawk Valley is a place where innovation, education, and opportunity intersect.”

Tech It Out was part of ICAN’s larger Level Up: UCSD Summer Takeover, a free summer program for UCSD students ages 12 and up. Each week featured interactive learning, inspiring guest speakers, and exciting field trips. Topics ranged from STEM and health to community, history, and civic engagement, all designed to help students build skills and confidence for the future.

“This summer, we’ve been intentional about creating opportunities for our students that go beyond fun and games,” said Sadé Cardin, Behavioral Supports Program Manager at ICAN. “We want them to enjoy themselves, but also leave with new experiences that spark their curiosity and open their eyes to career paths they may not have considered.”

This collaborative effort between ICAN, SUNY Poly, Griffiss Institute, and Quanterion served as the finale to the successful summer initiative, highlighting their commitment to providing engaging educational opportunities that connect local youth to in-demand skills, advanced technology, and the region’s growing innovation economy.