Emerging Leaders in Technology and Engineering (ELiTE) Inc.

Resilience, discipline, and consistency.

The success of ELiTE’s 2023 cohort is a reflection of the unique bonds forged through hundreds of hours of Zoom sessions and years of support, both online and in person. Students’ steadfast commitment to their goals and each other resulted in communal success, with 100% of students enrolling in postsecondary STEM programs that are both competitive and affordable.

Take a look at some of the key statistics for ELiTE’s class of 2023.

Daniel Mejia enjoys solving complex problems. In that way, Computer Science has always felt like a natural fit to stimulate his curiosity. Daniel is at his best when he can focus intensely on a problem, often emerging with a brilliant and elegant solution to whatever challenge he faces.

Throughout his four years with ELiTE, Daniel has developed a strong fluency using various technology tools, languages, packages, and frameworks ranging from full-stack web development and machine learning to data science and hardware. Some of his most impressive projects include a Raspberry Pi powered, voice-controlled arcade game with a real-time web-based emulator and leaderboard in 2021 and a simple website to visualize data captured from an environmental datalogger using an open-source microcontroller recording air quality data in his South Bronx neighborhood in 2023.

We are so excited for the opportunities that await Daniel as he matriculates to where he plans to major in Computer Engineering as an 1870 Scholar, one of Syracuse University’s most prestigious merit-based scholarships.

Jade Sanchez has incredible focus and an unmatched work ethic. Inspired by her role as an elder sister to multiple younger siblings with special needs, Jade is committed to designing tools and life-changing technologies for those facing physical and development challenges.

Empowered and supported by ELiTE’s coaches and community, Jade has thrived in the face of adversity. In addition to the competitive coursework that Jade completed at Jade also took engineering coursework at Columbia University as a high school student throughout the school year and summer. Her academic work at school, at ELiTE, and at Columbia helped sharpen her coding abilities and instilled in her a greater sense of purpose to contribute to the betterment of society.

Jade is poised to continue her incredible journey at Carnegie Mellon University, where she plans to major in Engineering and Robotics. In recognition of her accomplishments and potential, Jade is the recipient of an Amazon Future Engineer Award and a Jane Street Unboxed Scholar, providing her financial support and early career exposure through internships at Amazon and Jane Street over the next two summers.

Danil-Asher Wellington loves nature and is a dedicated steward of our environment. Driven by his intellectual curiosity, he strives to utilize his skills in service of a greener and more sustainable future. Through his journey with ELiTE, Danil has explored and delved into coding and scientific data analysis, equipping him with valuable logic and quantitative research skills.

Danil has emerged as a confident communicator, harnessing the power of networking and exchanging ideas with his peers. This newfound assertiveness has opened doors that will allow him to amplify his impact and make a real difference in the world as he pursues a major in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University.

Meet Maliha Tasmin, an intellectually driven young woman who fearlessly embraces challenges! With a passion for puzzle-solving, deciphering complex problems, and a thirst for growth, she always sets high expectations for herself. She continuously seeks opportunities to expand her knowledge and horizons.

Through ELiTE, Maliha discovered a community that embraces her, allows her to express her enthusiasm for coding, and provides a platform to push herself further. As she emerged from her cocoon, Maliha has blossomed into a more confident and assertive young woman in social settings, ready to share her ideas and engage with others.

Now, Maliha embarks on a new journey into Biomedical Engineering! With her, she brings an unwavering eagerness to work tirelessly and a determination to tackle emergent complex problems and contribute to biological innovation at the cellular level.

Phebe Kwarteng, a trailblazer and advocate of racial equality, is determined to diversify the field of graphic design. With exceptional communication skills, Phebe has built bridges for students of color throughout her high school career, championing their voices and fostering inclusivity.

Through her journey with ELiTE, Phebe discovered a supportive community of allies who shared her passion for blending programming, creativity, and social justice. She found the perfect avenue to carve a technical career path that aligns with her diverse interests.
Phebe’s sharp wit and keen sense of humor shine through, but her analytical mind stands out most. She fearlessly tackles challenges, working to effect transformative changes by bridging gaps, finding consensus, and offering informative problem-solving approaches.

Phebe is poised to share her inclusive approaches and foster innovation in design and graphic communication. She aims to create a more inclusive industry that celebrates diversity and breaks new ground.

Marisol Torres has been on a continuous journey of growth since joining ELiTE. Through her involvement in the program, she has discovered a whole new world of interdisciplinary applications in technology, ranging from design and architecture to art.

Marisol is captivated by how these diverse learning experiences have profoundly enriched her thought process and ex*****on of ideas. She finds inspiration in the intersections of different fields, weaving together psychology and computer programming to explore the untapped potential of human-computer interaction. As she delved deeper into these exciting connections, Marisol envisions a future where she can bridge psychology and programming to explore the potential of human-computer interaction.

Join us in celebrating Marisol as she embarks on an exhilarating path as she embraces the endless possibilities and the transformative power of interdisciplinary knowledge as a psychology undergraduate student at Hunter College, also pursuing coursework in programming and design.

Witnessing the incredible growth of Sky-Lailonnie Owens as a coder has been nothing short of extraordinary. From her early days at ELiTE, it was apparent that she was in a cocoon, perfecting her metamorphosis into a confident coder with an intuitive approach to problem-solving. With ELiTE support and guidance she embraced challenges with unwavering determination. Sky knew that each obstacle would only make her stronger, equipping her with new skills along the way.

Sky has developed an incredible amount of grit and self-assurance, surpassing expectations from three years ago. Her experiences have transformed her into a confident young woman, ready to embark on a journey toward a computer engineering career. Her hard work has led to her recognition as a recipient of Google’s Code Next Scholarship.

ELiTE has played an invaluable role in providing guidance and support, ensuring Sky’s academic path aligns with her aspirations career aspirations. Recognizing the importance of representation, Sky has taken notice and charted an academic trajectory that will undoubtedly contribute to increasing the number of Black women pursuing engineering pathways at Syracuse University.

Kadiatou is a trailblazer defying norms to embrace her dreams. With aspirations that challenge traditional gender roles in her tight-knit Muslim community in Harlem, she’s set to pursue a computer science degree at Boston University. ELiTE became her haven, where she found a vibrant community of coders who wholeheartedly supported her aspirations and career goals. Kadiatou possesses incredible poise and determination, fearlessly taking on challenges and breaking molds in her community and in a male-dominated computer industry.

Kadiatou is curious and has a heightened sensibility of space and self, allowing her to navigate the world with a unique perspective. Whether it's exploring the depths of coding or her own personal growth, Kadiatou’s heightened sensitivity will allow her to explore and embrace all the fantastic opportunities as she pursues a computer engineering major at Boston University.

From ELiTE to Syracuse University, Nana Okrah is eager to pursue a career in Computer Engineering. Growing up in a Ghanaian American household in the Bronx, Nana Okrah spent his formative years living and schooling in Ghana and New York City. Those experiences, being raised in a humble but vibrant community, have helped to shape Nana’s perspective on life and the world. ELiTE provided Nana with guidance fueling and supporting his development and coding skills to unleash his potential and career aspirations. One of his independent projects showcased his entrepreneurial skills. He used a raspberry pi, we**am, and machine learning to create an object classifier that generates webpages from popular online retailers to purchase the items the camera detects. Nana’s unwavering dedication, hard work and discipline drives him toward his goal of advancing technology in his home country of Ghana.

Through his journey with ELiTE, Nana’s confident but quiet leadership exhibited itself every week through collaborative projects and activities, along with opportunities for cultural sharing. Nana furthered his leadership development as a Phillips Academy at Andover (MS)2 program participant. Nana has been selected as a Syracuse University ECS Leadership Scholar and is ready to embark on the next chapter of his academic and leadership pursuits.