Curated free tech tutorials, software certifications, media articles, and downloadable roadmaps designed to help our students excel in technology careers.
Helpful Resources
Game Development
Free interactive game logic tutorials curated by studio developers. Learn sprite generation, level design, and collision detection.
Digital Media
Comprehensive digital video editing training covering timeline sequencing, sound mixing, color grading, and export optimization.
Artificial Intelligence
Official foundational course on leveraging generative AI tools, prompt architecture, and practical coding assistance.
Cybersecurity
Interactive labs covering password hash cracking, packet analysis, phishing defense, and beginner SOC analyst certifications.
Robotics & Making
Step-by-step schematics for Arduino microcontrollers, ultrasonic distance sensors, and autonomous wheeled bot chassis.
Hardware Assistance
TouchUp’s partner directory for students who need refurbished laptops, Wi-Fi hotspots, or digital connectivity subsidies across LA County.
Press Clipping
“How TouchUp Inc. Brought 280+ South LA Youth Together for Five Days of Intensive Coding, VR Exploration, and Career Pathways.”
Feature Article
An in-depth profile of CEO Caryn Brandon and how TouchUp’s juvenile hall in-facility programs achieved a 0% recidivism record.
Press Release
Official joint announcement of the Watts “Middle Up” Technology Summit on Nov 14, 2026, offering free STEM access to 300+ youth.
Student Toolkit
A 16-page illustrated guide detailing career tracks, expected entry salaries in California, required portfolio projects, and mentor contacts.
Family Toolkit
Demystifying tech jargon, college vs bootcamp pathways, remote work benefits, and how parents can support creative student coders.
Portfolio Tool
Clean, recruiter-approved Markdown and Google Docs resume format designed specifically for junior developers and digital artists.
Game Development
Free interactive game logic tutorials curated by studio developers. Learn sprite generation, level design, and collision detection.
Digital Media
Comprehensive digital video editing training covering timeline sequencing, sound mixing, color grading, and export optimization.
Artificial Intelligence
Official foundational course on leveraging generative AI tools, prompt architecture, and practical coding assistance.
Cybersecurity
Interactive labs covering password hash cracking, packet analysis, phishing defense, and beginner SOC analyst certifications.
Robotics & Making
Step-by-step schematics for Arduino microcontrollers, ultrasonic distance sensors, and autonomous wheeled bot chassis.
Press Clipping
“How TouchUp Inc. Brought 280+ South LA Youth Together for Five Days of Intensive Coding, VR Exploration, and Career Pathways.”
Feature Article
An in-depth profile of CEO Caryn Brandon and how TouchUp’s juvenile hall in-facility programs achieved a 0% recidivism record.
Press Release
Official joint announcement of the Watts “Middle Up” Technology Summit on Nov 14, 2026, offering free STEM access to 300+ youth.
Student Toolkit
A 16-page illustrated guide detailing career tracks, expected entry salaries in California, required portfolio projects, and mentor contacts.
Family Toolkit
Demystifying tech jargon, college vs bootcamp pathways, remote work benefits, and how parents can support creative student coders.
Portfolio Tool
Clean, recruiter-approved Markdown and Google Docs resume format designed specifically for junior developers and digital artists.
Hardware Assistance
TouchUp’s partner directory for students who need refurbished laptops, Wi-Fi hotspots, or digital connectivity subsidies across LA County.
Are you a tech company offering student software licenses, or a journalist covering digital equity in South LA? We would love to collaborate.
Saturday, November 14, 2026 · 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Children’s Institute Watts Campus. Registration is 100% Free!
“I watched my son disappear into a system that saw him as a statistic, not a person,” Caryn reflects. “And I knew he wasn’t alone. There were thousands of young people in communities like Compton who needed someone to believe in them, to invest in them, and to show them a different path forward.”
That pain became purpose in 2017 when Caryn founded TouchUp Inc, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing technology education and workforce development for underserved and at-risk youth. Drawing on her background in psychology, she understood that transformation requires more than just skills training—it demands holistic support, mentorship, and genuine human connection.
Caryn chose to focus on Compton deliberately. While many saw a community defined by its challenges, she saw untapped potential and a critical need for rebranding and opportunity creation. “Compton has been written off by too many people for too long,” she explains. “But this community is full of brilliant young people who just need someone to invest in their potential. Closing the digital divide isn’t just about technology—it’s about dignity, opportunity, and belief.”
Under Caryn’s leadership, TouchUp Inc has achieved remarkable outcomes that reflect her personal commitment to redemption and second chances. The organization’s work with probation-involved youth has resulted in zero recidivism during 12-month follow-up—a testament to what happens when young people receive comprehensive support rather than condemnation. Her coding program at Job Corps Los Angeles achieved a 78% completion rate, with 60% of graduates pursuing additional technology education.
Today, Caryn serves as CEO of TouchUp Inc while working as a financial controller, bringing financial expertise and community connections to both roles.
For Caryn, this work is not just a professional calling—it is deeply personal mission. “Every young person we serve reminds me of my son,” she says. “They deserve the same thing every parent wants for their child: a real chance to build a meaningful life. That’s what we’re creating at TouchUp Inc—not just training programs, but genuine pathways from incarceration to innovation, from poverty to possibility.”
Her message to funders and partners is simple but powerful: “When you invest in TouchUp Inc, you’re not funding a program. You’re investing in redemption, in second chances, and in the belief that every young person—no matter their circumstances—deserves the opportunity to thrive.”