Watts Youth to Get Hands-On STEM Career Training at Free Full-Day Event

Watts Next — A free, full-day STEM Career Exploration Day for youth ages 14 to 18, featuring five hands-on trainings: sublimation tumbler design and more

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- TouchUp Inc. will host “Watts Next,” a free STEM Career Exploration Day, on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Children’s Institute, Watts Campus, 10200 Success Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90002. The invitation-only event will give youth ages 14 to 18 five hands-on trainings, a breakfast speaker, and a closing Wattscademy Awards ceremony.

Students will design and make sublimation tumblers with The Maker Hub, build a game concept with Jourdan Stroman of Mattel, learn EV charger mechanics with SmarterHelp, build and program robots with SoLa Robotics, and edit their own short films with Avi Glick of USC and Koyal AI. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided at no cost.

Watts Next builds a pipeline into TouchUp Inc.'s broader slate of technology education programming, which is expected to reach 600 to 800 youth across LA County during the 2026–27 program year. The event is part of TouchUp Inc.'s five signature “Power Up L.A.” 2026–27 programs, which build on the organization's record of serving more than 1,500 youth since 2017 with a 0% recidivism rate among alumni.

“These are the years when young people decide whether a STEM career is 'for them,'” said Caryn Brandon, CEO of TouchUp Inc. “We want every young person in Watts to leave Watts Next knowing the answer is yes — and knowing there's a clear next step waiting for them after graduation.”

Participation is by invitation for youth; media are invited to attend and cover the day, including the Wattscademy Awards at 4:30 PM. Media and sponsors interested in supporting Watts Next may contact Caryn Brandon at caryn@touchuptech.org.

About TouchUp Inc.
TouchUp Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to “Breaking the Cycle” by connecting justice-involved and at-risk youth to technology education and career pathways in AI, cybersecurity, game design, and digital media. Since 2017, TouchUp Inc. has served more than 1,500 youth with a 0% recidivism rate among program alumni. In the 2026–27 program year, TouchUp Inc. is running five signature programs expected to reach 600–800 youth across LA County. Learn more at www.touchuptech.org.

Caryn Brandon
Touch Up Inc