Pawn Accelerator

The Pawn Accelerator Summer Program, in partnership with the City of Atlanta’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), is a six-week workforce and STEAM development initiative designed to prepare youth ages 14–24 for future careers in technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Led by Chess and Community in collaboration with NASA and community partners, students engage in hands-on learning experiences in robotics, coding, chess, drone technology, AI literacy, and business development. Participants work alongside engineering coaches and mentors to build robotic prototypes, develop entrepreneurial skills, and compete in public showcases and team challenges that promote professionalism, innovation, and community engagement.