At 'We Are the Future' summit, students hear about careers in politics, clean energy and construction

Abigail Brown, a 16-year-old junior at Amityville Memorial High School, had pondered the idea of studying political science in college.

But when she heard a panelist who majored in it speak at an event on Friday aimed at minority students and careers, "that kind of like nailed it," Brown said.

Brown was among about 800 students from high schools in Wyandanch, Bay Shore, Hempstead, Freeport, Longwood, Baldwin and other mainly minority neighborhoods who attended the event at Nassau Community College, organized by the nonprofit Minority Millennials.

At the 4th annual "We Are the Future" summit, students listened to political leaders, clean energy company managers, construction firm owners and others who talked about their careers — and ways the students might get into the fields themselves.

They could also open checking accounts and learn about financial literacy from commercial banks, explore options for working with developmentally handicapped adults through nonprofits, and take in an art exhibit replicating a miniature version of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show.

"I think it was a great event and you get to meet a lot of different people with different experiences," Brown said. "Through that, you open a lot of new doors to new careers that you may not have ever considered."

Daniel Lloyd, founder and president of "Minority Millennials," said the summit was an extension of his group’s year-round mission, which is "to help young people access jobs, build wealth, and become civically engaged."

The summit addressed such issues as artificial intelligence, economic systems and clean energy. "We want to advocate for more clean energy, offshore wind, battery storage," Lloyd said. "So it's really getting them prepared to speak up in these community meetings in support of that."

Rosalie Drago, a vice president at the Melville-based Haugland Group, a civil infrastructure and energy construction firm, came with the message that the students can get well-paying jobs in the energy sector.

Her company, with projects from Maine to the Virgin Islands, helps construct wind, solar, natural gas, battery storage and hydroelectric projects, along with bridges, roads, sewers, tunnels and airports. Some technology jobs involve data analytics, drones, 3D modeling, and software engineering, she said.

"I'm here today because we need to build a sustainable talent pipeline in the industry," Drago said in an interview. "We have a very stressed electrical grid. We can't meet the energy demands for ... all the technology we use every day."

Unionized construction workers employed on her company’s projects can make at least $100,000 a year and sometimes close to $200,000, she said. "Young people don't know about careers in construction ... or their parents have preconceived notions about it," she said.

Andy Polanco, 16, a junior at Wyandanch High School, said he appreciated all the different panels and speakers, and just being on a college campus as he plotted his next moves.

"I’m in love with the campus," he said. "I thought it would be smaller."

His friend, Jose Villalta, 16, also a junior at Wyandanch, said he found the summit fascinating, as he explored everything from a gaming section to youth service opportunities.

"I honestly love it," he said. "It’s really interesting."