Urban Tech’s YLA Interface and How It Works

An experienced finance professional working in sales and equity research, Janina Casey earned her finance bachelor’s degree from St. Johns University, which recommended her for a Citibank summer management training program. Janina Casey is a supporter of Urban Tech, a nonprofit organization where she has recently been named a board member.

Also known as the National Urban Technology Center, Urban Tech is committed to change education and create solutions for students through critical thinking, digital storytelling, and social-emotional learning. Urban Tech engages students by utilizing popular music, relatable language, gamification, and animation, and this is achieved through applications such as the Youth Leadership Academy (YLA).

YLA is a software that provides teachers with an online multimedia program that develops essential life and social skills with the help of twelve online courses. The software interface counts with activities such as On The Reel, a set of animated short stories with thought-provoking questions related to issues that adolescents face on a day-to-day basis.

The Write To The Point activity allows participants to express their perspective in an e-journal, which strengthens their reasoning and language skills while promoting critical thinking. For assessing and evaluating the students learning, the software uses a TV-style quiz game called Final Answer - it measures retention but is not a traditional test.

Safety Tips for Hikers

A financial executive, Janina Casey serves as an equities managing director at BTIG in New York. Outside of her professional endeavors, Janina Casey enjoys spending her free time golfing and hiking.

Hiking is considered a fun and invigorating outdoor activity, but there are some safety measures for those who practice it. Despite the hiker’s experience, unexpected things can happen when going to a new place, and they may compromise safety.

A safety tip for those planning to hike in a national or state park is to consult a park ranger before engaging in the activity - the department can provide useful information about toxic fauna and flora, changes to the terrain, and other things the hiker may encounter in the trail.

Hiking alone is not recommended even for the most experienced hikers if the trail is unknown, so a tip is to bring at least one companion. Before the hike, combine the complete itinerary with the group and inform someone else outside the group the exact route.

Wildlife encounters should also be avoided, since many dangers in hiking through wildlife territory come from predators such as bears. A tip for that is to make sure you are making enough noise to announce the approach.

 

Urban Tech's YLA Program Increases Graduation Rates

Currently functioning as managing director of equities at BTIG, Janina Casey has also held executive positions at Telsey Advisory Group and Merrill Lynch. Janina Casey also sits on the board of Urban Tech.

Based in New York City, The National Urban Technology Center (Urban Tech) is a nonprofit that seeks to improve the education system through digital storytelling, critical thinking, and social emotional learning. They’ve developed a standards-based curriculum that prepares students for the 21st century.

Through the Youth Leadership Academy (YLA), Urban Tech works with underrepresented and underprivileged communities and helps provide students in those communities with the emotional and social skills they need to achieve personal growth and leadership skills. The YLA has trained 600,000 students in afterschool programs in 500 schools across the nation. YLA attendees saw a 46 percent increase in reading scores, 40 percent increase in math scores, and 67 percent increase in graduation rates. YLA attendees also improved self-esteem and self-efficacy.

For more information about this program or other Urban Tech programs, visit www.urbantech.org.

Three Hikes Near NYC

Based in New York, New York, Janina Casey serves as managing director of equities at the capital market company BTIG. In her free time, Janina Casey enjoys golfing, traveling, and hiking.

While New York City is a concrete jungle full of skyscrapers and cars, there are many opportunities for hikers just outside of the city. Here are some to consider!

1. Breakneck Ridge. Found in Philipstown/Fishkill, this might be the most popular hike in the New York area. This four-mile hike follows a steady, rocky incline up a mountain alongside the Hudson River. The top of the trail affords beautiful views of the river, Storm King Mountain, and the Bannerman Castle. Be prepared for an arduous hike and be sure to bring good shoes, water, and snacks.

2. Old Croton Aqueduct. More of a walk than a hike, this trail runs 26 miles between Yonkers and Tarrytown. While the aqueduct is no longer in use, people enjoy walking on the footpath above the water tube, which offers views of the Hudson River and goes through the backyards of homes in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow.

3. Sugarloaf Hill and Osborn Loop. There are many trailheads to these trails in Garrison, but the Osborn Loop and Sugarloaf Hill offer an easy but long trek that provides views of West Point, the East Hudson Highlands, and Storm King Mountain. The seven-mile loop takes about 5 hours.