Teen earns award for technology outreach project

DALLAS - A 17-year-old senior at St. Mark’s School in Dallas earned a big award for the work he’s done to help low-income youth learn technology skills.

Jake Galant created a computer programming boot camp. About 120 students at six schools got to explore the field of computer science by building video games.

He was awarded the Diller Teen Tikkn Olam Award. With it came a prize of $36,000.

“I’m going to use some of it to further my program, some of it for my education and I’ve given 15 percent back to the Jewish Federation,” he said.

After graduation, Galant plans to go to college. But he's not sure if he'll study computer science. He said he's also passionate about public policy and social issues.