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DiggThe day's panels weren't filled completely with the next generation of Steve Jobs. Sure, one of the Palo Alto High students holds a patent in the area of RFID and is a key member of the school's robotics team. One of the female panelists with a passion for computer coding who hailed from another Bay Area high school said, "I can't imagine living without a compiler".
However, others participanted in the SDForum event to provide the audience with a view into which technology teens are most interested in. These were the ones that I think are more typical high school students. One student mumbled his words, had unkempt hair, admitted using his cell phone to cheat on exams and said he once made 2000 SMS messages in a month even though he didn't have a data plan. I called him Spicoli.
Regardless of the likelihood they go on to future entrepreneurial success, all the kids favor Facebook and Apple. All seven of the high school panelists have an iPod. Six of them carry a cell phone with them wherever they go. And while most still use MySpace, they are heavier users of Facebook. One said, "Everyone always seems to be on Facebook." Another commented, "I have a Facebook that I check ten times a day."
The yongest panelist was 13-year old Anshul Samar. The 7th grader's modest goal is to get his board game company, Elementeo, to $1 million in revenue by the time he's done with junior high school. So, he's giving himself a year. The company's first product is a card game played on a board that attempts to make learning chemisty fun. Not a technology play, but an idea with potential.
Tags: sdforum, vc, venture+capital
