Club Tech's festival brings young digital minds to Philadelphia

TYLER Gil-Contreras of Menlo Park, Calif., will travel to another state Monday for the first time in his life — here, for a weeklong visit.

Gil-Contreras, 17, is one of 11 teens who won a national arts competition that showcases digital skills learned through the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, or BGCA. The winners, who are getting an an all-expenses-paid trip to Philly, will be honored for their work at a ceremony Monday night at One Comcast Center. While here, they will attend workshops at Comcast and explore mural arts and historic sites.

The trip is the capstone of the 10th-annual Club Tech Digital Arts Festivals, which encourage artistic expression in BGCA after-school programs by recognizing kids aged 6 to 18 in digital photography, music making, graphic design, game design, movie animation and film.

Gil-Contreras won in the "Movie Tech" category for his project, "Road to Success." In the movie, in which he stars, he says what it means to be successful and inspire others.

Gil-Contreras said he aspires to a career in video and music production and has already made videos for rappers Lil Rue and Mistah F.A.B.

"Club Tech is keeping me on track to graduate from high school next year and attend college," he said by phone Friday, adding that he's excited to see the Liberty Bell.

Comcast got involved in Club Tech because a focus of the company's philanthropy is "digital literacy," said Bill Black, a vice president of the Comcast Foundation.

"We're helping to build skills, self-esteem, give these kids something to reach for they haven't seen until they got involved in a program like this," he said.

Comcast has been involved with Club Tech since 2010, has contributed $10 million in cash and in-kind contributions, and has encouraged employees to mentor kids involved with Club Techs across the country, Black said.

Judith Pickens, a senior vice president for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, said Gil-Contreras personifies the importance of Club Tech.

"Tyler has just taken off. That's the kind of seed we like to plant," she said. "We gave him an extra nudge when he needed it, and now he can be anything and do anything he wants to do."