By Karen Krynen, Director of Communications at Don Bosco Technical Institute
(Rosemead, California) – A one-of-a-kind partnership launched this summer is giving students at Don Bosco Technical Institute (Bosco Tech) the opportunity to work alongside first responders and defense contractors through an innovative program designed to develop real-world skills in advanced technology. The initiative will continue throughout the school year and beyond.
The Special Projects and Advanced Research Center (SPARC) brings together 3ZeroThird, Syndicus Defense Corp., and a team of pioneering Bosco Tech students in a dynamic partnership focused on innovation in defense, homeland security, and public safety.
The student intern team includes seniors Seraj Arteaga (IDEA), Raymond Martinez (CSEE), Sebastian Guzman (MSET), Muhammad Nabeel (CSEE), Diego Gonzalez (IDEA), Sagan Riley Rapp (IDEA), and Marcos Posada (CSEE).
Created by Tech Assistant Principal Luis Garza and led by Bosco Tech alumni Matthias Collins (DE ’05/’06) and Andrew Garcia (CT ’08), SPARC combines the agility of small businesses with the academic excellence of Bosco Tech. The program is helping transform the school into a high-tech center for robotics and unmanned systems while creating opportunities for students to participate in research and development projects connected to defense, public safety, and emerging technologies.
This summer, SPARC completed an intensive five-week program focused on what organizers describe as “tradecraft,” including drones, communications, software-defined radio, cybersecurity, tactical medicine, and search and rescue.
The program was guided by a cadre that included a first responder and former U.S. Army Special Operations veteran. Eight high school seniors participated in the intensive experience, developing technical skills while learning to work collaboratively in demanding, mission-focused environments.
As the program moved from concept to execution, students were organized into four specialized teams, each with a distinct mission.
Echo Team focuses on communications and software-defined radio technologies. Fox Team develops intelligence collection and logistics solutions. Gamma Team concentrates on cybersecurity and public information operations, while Hotel Team advances innovation in unmanned robotics.
The creation of these multidisciplinary teams and the completion of their initial operational benchmarks have established a framework for collaborative research, workforce development, and advanced technology integration.
For Bosco Tech, the initiative represents an extension of its longstanding commitment to hands-on technical education. Students are not simply learning about emerging technologies in the classroom; they are being challenged to apply their knowledge to real-world problems alongside professionals who serve their communities.
With SPARC now open to students from all class years, the program is positioned to grow throughout the coming school year. Its leaders hope the initiative will continue developing the next generation of innovators while contributing new technological solutions for defense, public safety, and first responders.
Through this partnership, Bosco Tech students are discovering that technical education can be more than preparation for a career. It can be an opportunity to use their talents, creativity, and knowledge in service of others.
