Dade Student Finds Her Future Inside Mobile Tech XPerience

By Mario Tarradell, Public Relations & Marketing Manager

It was a pivotal day for 8th grader Asija Woodson. There she was stepping foot inside the Dallas City of Learning Mobile Tech XPerience, the retrofitted RV that’s a technology fountain of inspiration for middle and high school students. It was early August and 13-year-old Woodson participated in Dade Tech Day at Billy Earl Dade Middle School, a DCoL Turn Up! event organized by Big Thought.

She walked inside the MTXP and immediately went to work developing computer graphics, learning computer coding, programming Lego sumo wrestlers, experimenting with robotics.

For Woodson, these weren’t mere school day activities: “I felt optimistic because I feel like I can further myself into a career trying some of the things I did that day,” she says while sitting inside the Dade auditorium.

The MTXP proved influential, a rolling treasure chest of ideas for building a future. “I just thought about myself in regards to thinking of a major when I apply for college,” she says. “Robotics has a lot to do with me maybe pursuing a career in engineering.”

Woodson admits these recurring thoughts aren’t new. Her family is diligently encouraging her to go into that field. She was even in a robotics class while in elementary school. But being inside that RV was an epiphany. Suddenly, it all clicked.

“There is a difference between family telling me and actually doing it,” she says. “It has inspired me. This really makes a difference. I can see it now.“

Photo by Can Turkyilmaz @turk_studio