FutureReadyNYC

    Student Workshop

    Build Your Portfolio with AI

    April 28, 2026  |  4:00–5:30 PM (via Zoom)  |  Bethany Crystal  |  buildfirst.ai

    Your Superpower = AI + Your Unique Perspective

    Today you'll use AI tools to build something real for your career portfolio.

    Register on Zoom

    Before the Workshop — What to Have Ready

    • •A Google account logged into Google Gemini (gemini.google.com) and NotebookLM (notebooklm.google.com)
    • •An idea of which track interests you: Portfolio Page, Research Project, or 5-Year Plan
    • •Think about: What career pathway are you most excited about? Software Engineering, Data Analytics, or Cybersecurity

    Your Tools Today

    Google Gemini
    Writing, brainstorming & career planning
    NotebookLM
    Research deep dives & summaries

    Today's Agenda

    1
    Welcome & Intros
    0–10 min · Why portfolios matter for your career
    2
    AI Safety Tips
    10–20 min · Responsible AI use, privacy & staying safe — FutureReadyNYC / Grant Associates
    3
    Future of Work
    20–30 min · How professionals use AI every day
    4
    Live Demo
    30–40 min · See what you can build with Gemini & NotebookLM
    5
    BUILD TIME!
    40–70 min · You choose a track and create something real
    6
    Show & Tell
    70–80 min · Share what you built with the group
    7
    Your Story
    80–90 min · How to talk about what you created

    AI Safety

    Stay Safe Online

    • Never share personal info (address, phone number, school ID)
    • AI can be wrong — always double-check important facts
    • What you type may be stored — keep it appropriate
    • Use AI as a helper, not to do all the work for you
    BUILD TIME

    Choose Your Track

    Pick one track and build something real in the next 30 minutes. You can always switch — but start with one.

    A
    Portfolio Page
    Create a professional page about you and your work using Gemini
    B
    Research Project
    Deep dive into a topic you care about with NotebookLM
    C
    5-Year Plan
    Map out your career goals step-by-step using Gemini
    PROMPTS

    Starter Prompts

    Copy any of these into Gemini to get started. Replace the brackets with your own info.

    1

    Write Your Bio (Track A)

    "Help me write a short bio for a student interested in [your pathway]. I want to highlight [2-3 things about yourself]."
    2

    Get Project Ideas (Track A or B)

    "Suggest 3 portfolio project ideas for a beginner in [data analytics / software engineering / cybersecurity]"
    3

    Build Your 5-Year Plan (Track C)

    "Help me create a 5-year career plan for a student interested in [your pathway]. I'm currently in high school and want to work in [field]."

    How to Talk About What You Built

    • "I used AI to help me create..." — then describe what you made and why
    • "I started with this idea and refined it by..." — show your thinking process
    • "The hardest part was... and I solved it by..." — employers love problem-solvers

    Questions? Reach Out

    Bethany Crystal
    Workshop Facilitator
    bethany@buildfirst.ai
    Lisi McCall
    Tech:NYC
    lisi@technyc.org
    Reina Utsunomiya
    NYC DOE
    RUtsunomiya@schools.nyc.gov
    Ross Berman
    Tech Pathways Coach
    rberman@schools.nyc.gov
    Remember: Save your work and add it to your portfolio!
    FutureReadyNYC | Tech:NYC Foundation + NYC Public Schools Office of Student Pathways