A lesson in high tech, courtesy of Hempstead's Springboard Incubators Inc.

The group of young women huddled around a circular desk, each holding a screwdriver while they studied the insides of a disassembled desktop computer.

Their mission Monday at the Hempstead nonprofit Springboard Incubators Inc.: learn about the inner workings of a motherboard — home to circuits, sockets and chips of all sorts and considered the brains of a typical personal computer.

"It’s important to open up the computer and show them the motherboard, and why the motherboard is probably the most important piece of device that’s in the computer," said Steven Lindo, the organization’s founder. "Getting them to touch, and feel it, and pull it apart … is absolutely critical."

On Monday, Hempstead Senior Councilwoman Dorothy L. Goosby was on hand for the lesson as part of an effort to promote March as Women's History Month. The nonprofit offers courses in tech fields such as robotics, coding and data science. But Monday, it's focus was helping those with little experience working on computers become more proficient.

The lesson had another focus.

"To make sure we get them into a career," Goosby said, "and not just a job."

Monday’s class was for men and women between the ages of 18 and 24. Goosby said she even learned a little something about the motherboard herself.

The nonprofit plays a vital role in teaching girls and young women subjects in highly sought-after technological industries, she said.

"If you don’t know the computer, you’re in trouble," Goosby said. "Everything you do now is computer. They need to learn, especially young people that live here. It’s very important that they even get an opportunity to find out what the computer is all about."

Goosby presented Lindo with a proclamation from the Town of Hempstead for the work the nonprofit does to educate women in the community. Goosby said she was glad Lindo chose March to raise awareness about women in technology. Pushing more girls into high-tech jobs will "level the playing field for girls," she said.

To that end, Springboard Incubators Inc. on Tuesday will sponsor a virtual webinar, "The State of Women in Technology." The event, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. will consist of a panel of mostly women of color.

Registration is free and can be completed at eventbrite.com.