Our Story

Culture Is the
Bridge to
Technology.

BWS Youth Tech Street Academy was built on one belief: that when students see themselves in their education, they don't just learn — they lead.

"We bridge culture and technology to prepare students for tomorrow's opportunities — today."

BWS Youth Tech Street Academy is a culturally grounded, evidence-based education program designed to serve BIPOC youth and underserved communities. Our CR-RTI DAO framework combines Culturally Relevant Response-to-Intervention with decentralized student governance — creating classrooms where every student has a voice, a role, and a pathway into the digital economy. We don't replace what schools are doing. We make it deeper, more equitable, and more powerful.

Our Journey
From Ideation to Impact

Phase 1 — Ideation
The CR-RTI DAO Framework Is Born
We designed an innovative Culturally Relevant Response-to-Intervention model powered by a decentralized autonomous organization — combining authentic leadership, collective voting, evidence-based methods, and AI-driven tools to increase student engagement, cultural pride, and real-world tech skills.
Phase 2 — Framework Development
Building the 5-Level CR-RTI Roadmap
We developed a structured five-level implementation model — Awareness, Research, Ethnography, Observation, and Implementation — grounded in Dr. Dwayne D. Williams's four cultural characteristics: Communalism, Movement, Orality, and Verve.
Phase 3 — Prototype
Tech Week & The Pi Rho Phi Youth Council
We built our 5-week Tech Week curriculum, launched the Pi Rho Phi Youth Council as the student governance body, and developed a complete outcome tracking ecosystem with 8 data tools aligned to MTSS/RTI frameworks.
Phase 4 — Now
Launching in Tulsa & Oklahoma City
BWS Youth Tech Street Academy is now ready for pilot partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and community organizations across Tulsa and OKC — with a replicable model built for national expansion.
The Problem We Solve
From Responsive to Relevant

Most schools have adopted culturally responsive teaching as a policy — but policy alone doesn't close the gap. Culturally responsive teaching adapts content. Culturally relevant teaching transforms how learning happens.

Traditional RTI and MTSS frameworks focus on measurable academic interventions without integrating the cultural modes that actually drive engagement for BIPOC youth. Students aren't underperforming because they lack ability. They're underperforming because the system wasn't built with their strengths in mind.

BWS flips that. We treat communalism, movement, orality, and verve not as accommodations — but as the engine of instruction itself.

⚠️ The Equity Gap
Over 95% of teens use social media daily, but fewer than 10% have access to structured computer science courses. Students are consuming technology — not creating it.
📉 Learning Loss
Tulsa students experienced the most significant learning loss in Oklahoma between 2019–2022, with reading proficiency dropping 1.34 grade levels — disproportionately affecting students of color.
🌐 The Tech Opportunity
By 2030, Web3 and decentralized systems will be mainstream in finance, housing, and education — yet the pipeline of diverse talent with blockchain and DAO experience is critically thin.
What We Stand For
Our Core Values

01
Culture as Cognition
Cultural identity isn't background noise — it's the lens through which students process, retain, and apply new knowledge. We design instruction around this truth.
02
Student Voice & Agency
Through the DAO governance model and Pi Rho Phi Youth Council, students don't just participate — they lead, vote, propose, and decide.
03
Evidence Over Assumption
Every element of our model is backed by research — from Williams's CR-RTI framework to Pew, Brookings, and Gartner data on digital equity and emerging tech access.
04
Measurable Impact
Our 8-tool outcome tracking system gives schools the MTSS-aligned data they need — engagement rates, discipline trends, DAO participation, and teacher confidence scores.
05
Authentic Leadership
We develop leaders — not just learners. Every student leaves with real governance experience, tech skills, and the confidence to shape industries that will shape the world.
06
Community Partnership
We build with communities, not for them. Family voice, local mentors, and cultural context are built into the curriculum from day one.
The Research Behind BWS
Evidence-Based. Data-Driven.

Pew Research Center · 2023
95%
of teens use YouTube daily — yet fewer than 10% have access to structured computer science courses in school. Digital consumption is not digital creation.
Brookings Institution · 2022
Underrepresented
Students from marginalized communities are significantly underrepresented in blockchain and AI education — limiting entry into industries projected to dominate the future economy.
Gartner · 2023
2030
By 2030, Web3 and decentralized systems will be mainstream in finance, housing, and education — yet the pipeline of diverse talent with blockchain/DAO experience remains critically thin.

Partner With BWS

Whether you're a school, nonprofit, or funder — we have a partnership designed around your goals, timeline, and budget.

Get My Custom Proposal → View the Course