Sacramento Computer Education Helps Students In Crisis
EDD first quarter reports for 2014 reflect a median hourly rate of $31.76 for web developers in the Sacramento metropolitan area. The increase in median pay for more managerial roles, which typically require more education, is significant with a jump to $48.88 hourly during the same quarter. Even better, job openings for Sacramento IT managers are projected to grow 15.1 percent from 2012 - 2022.
Jason Jeffery, Founder and CEO of Catapult K12, knows how important education is for goal achievement. His parents' frequent relocation meant he never stayed in one school for more than a year. Legally emancipated at age 16, Jeffery worked hard to continue his education. He first put himself through Modesto Junior College to earn an A.A., and later through California State University Chico for a B.S. degree in Computer, Information Systems and Internet Technology.
Jeffery says CSU Chico computer professor Clarke Steinbeck Ph.D., greatly influenced his success. "He was an incredible mentor and teacher," says Jeffery, "without his guidance I don't think I would have made it." When Jeffery created Catapult K12 15 years ago, Steinback even became his business partner for a time.
Catapult K12 is a low-cost, intuitive content management solution for schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, with the intention of "helping them catapult them into the future." His award-winning web services are used by schools in more than 20 states.
Jeffery recently launched CatapulseEMS, a groundbreaking emergency management system, offering school administrators, parents and emergency responders access to real-time information in urgent school incidents. "Everything from bullying to an active shooter" can be managed with CatapultEMS, says Jeffery, including accounting for each student's whereabouts and live communication with teachers. Jeffery says one local school principal was off-site when he learned of a suspected shooter . The principal coordinated a code-red campus lockdown and full emergency response using CatapultEMS on his cell phone.
Valerie Heimerich is a freelance writer out of Sacramento. She typically covers animals and community issues. She has volunteered and worked for many organizations helping animals and people.
Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
F
