Back for the 2026-2027 school year and taking place on February 4, 2027, this free virtual field trip for rising freshman (8th graders) and high school students Nextech Navigate is built to educate and inspire students about the power of computer science and careers in technology.
Throughout this virtual conference students will have the power to choose the topics that interest them the most – across subjects such as Indiana tech companies, computer science technical skills, and personal development. All Indiana high school students are welcome regardless of computer science class enrollment and type of school they attend.
We can’t wait to host a jam-packed day. Until then:
- Teachers must register their student group following the process below
- Reserve school or community space to host your students on February 4th
- Get approval from your admin and mark it on the school calendar just like a field trip!
Registration Process
Registration is a two-step process.
- Let us know you want to attend and your estimated student count. Register here.
- After your registration is confirmed, we will reach out with a request for a CSV file with student first name, student last name, grade, and email address on a provided template. This will allow us to process each student’s registration and provide their unique access link.
In order for students to receive the personalized link to join the conference, it must be sent to the student’s email. We know that this is potentially a roadblock for students. Teachers will also receive a list of all of the student’s access links. This will allow you to be able to share access links directly with the students.
All students must be registered by January 20, 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Can Attend?
This conference is for students in grades 8-12, preferably in Indiana. All students are welcome from public, private, charter or home high schools and do not need to be enrolled in a computer science class. Per any traditional field trip, teachers will need to secure administrator approval before registering to attend. If you need help or specific information for your administration, please email teachers@nextech.org.
How do students register?
Teachers are required to register their students. Check out the registration information above for the process and registration link.
What platform will be used and how do I test it?
Nextech Navigate will be on RingCentral Events, an online event platform used across the industry. In order to ensure your student can attend, please have your IT department whitelist following these instructions from RingCentral.
We’d also suggest using the RingCentral Pre-Event Check. Though students will not be sharing audio or video during the event, this tool tests compatibility with firewalls, VPN, and browsers to make sure students can access the conference and will allow you to get assistance from your IT team earlier than the day of the event.
What’s the day going to look like for students?
It will be a busy 4 hour day. The doors will open at 8:45 AM ET and the opening presentation will start at 9:00 AM ET. From there, the day will move into breakout sessions where a student will be able to select the sessions that interest them most. We will end at 1 PM ET.
All times below are in Eastern Time.
8:45 AM: Doors Open (students can test set-up)
9:00 AM: Navigate Kicks-Off in the Opening Session
9:10 – 12:45 PM: Navigate Content, Sessions, and Breakouts
12:45 – 1:00 PM: Closing Session
1:00 PM: Navigate Concludes
We will not have a planned break for lunch since all school schedules are different. We encourage you to find the lunch option that works best for your school, either missing a session or a portion of a session, packing lunch and eating in the classroom, or planning for lunch after the conference ends.
To get a good idea of what happens at Navigate, check out last school year’s program guide here.
Where will students need to be to attend?
Students can attend from school, home or anywhere with strong wifi and access to a computer. Each student will need to attend on their individual device in order to participate in their selected breakouts and will be given an individual invitation.
Will teachers need to attend with their students?
The content for the day will be tailored for rising 8th graders and high school students, but teachers will enjoy it as well. After the event, we will be able to share granular tracking data to each teacher letting you know where and what your students attended. If you need specific information on attendance, let us know.
Will there be lesson plans to use in the classroom?
We will provide lesson plans for before, after, and during Navigate for you to use with your students. They will be shared closer to the date of the conference.
Does each student need their own access?
In late January 2027, each student will receive an invitation for Nextech Navigate 2027 in their inbox. It will include a unique “magic link” that the student will need to use to access the conference.
We know that outside emails are generally blocked at schools, so we will also share all of your magic links on your roster so you can share those directly with students.
We ask that all teachers do a test run for their students before the event to ensure that students received their invitation for the conference. Test run instructions are included in the lesson plans.
What audio/video technology will students need to participate during Navigate?
If your school is in-person, students can participate in a computer lab, in their classroom, etc. — just don’t forget the headphones! Since students will make their own session schedule, they will want to participate in breakout sessions individually and on their own device via their unique link. Students will not need to (or be able to) turn on their cameras during these breakout sessions. Students will utilize the Q&A feature on RingCentral to engage with speakers, no microphones will be used (or allowed).
Continuing to build each year, Navigate has influenced high schools students statewide. Thank you to the tech community for continuing to build the next generation of tech talent by sharing their stories and knowledge.
63
Schools
3,330
Students
116
Sessions
121
Industry Speakers
Student Outcomes
Nextech Navigate aims to expose students to many facets of the tech world and career paths by:
- Building understanding of applications, tools and technologies while exploring CS concepts.
- Increasing knowledge of post-secondary opportunities and build career readiness skills.
- Gaining awareness of Indiana technology and tech-enabled organizations and potential tech jobs within the state.
- Exercising choice by selecting and creating their own conference experience and agenda.
- Increasing motivation to pursue a post-secondary career in technology and to pursue a career in Indiana.
Most students were very happy and want you to offer the event every year! I hope you do to.
Teacher
Navigate Participant
I enjoyed how interactive the event was. I also like how we were able to talk to about future education and careers.
Student
Navigate Participant
I enjoyed the presentations I attended and the assistance / support I received before the event, Great job.
Student
Navigate Participant