Select Page

THE BEGINNING

Hello!

All About Us

WATT (Working Arts & Technology Training) was founded by Marshall Cannon in 2014 in San Francisco, California, with a mission to empower young people through education, creativity, technology, and mentorship.

In its early years, the program operated under the fiscal sponsorship of Independent Arts & Media (IAM), where Lisa Burger played a vital role in helping WATT establish a strong foundation and connect with an experienced nonprofit support network.

WATT’s first classes were hosted by the San Francisco Christian Center, whose support helped create a welcoming environment for students during the organization’s formative years.

In 2018, founder Marshall Cannon relocated to Akron, Ohio. Although the program paused for several years during the transition, WATT was later reestablished as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to expanding opportunities for youth.

Today, WATT provides educational experiences, mentorship, and career exposure that help students discover their passions and potential in the arts, technology, and emerging career fields. While creative arts and information technology remain central to our mission, WATT has expanded its focus to include medical and healthcare-related pathways, reflecting the evolving opportunities available to today’s students.

At WATT, we believe access to knowledge, mentorship, and hands-on experiences can change the trajectory of a young person’s future. By providing support early, we help students build confidence, develop skills, and pursue opportunities without being held back by limited exposure, lack of resources, or missed educational experiences.

Our Approach

Exposure

Many students are never introduced to the wide range of careers, cultures, industries, and creative paths available to them. Without exposure, it can be difficult for young people to imagine possibilities beyond what they see every day.

At WATT, we intentionally create experiences that expand perspectives and introduce students to new ideas, technologies, careers, and cultures. Whether through art, design, technology, healthcare, or cultural learning experiences, we help students discover opportunities they may not have previously considered.

We believe exposure is powerful because you cannot pursue what you have never seen.

Hands-on 

We believe students learn most effectively by actively participating, creating, exploring, and solving problems in real-world ways.

That’s why WATT emphasizes hands-on learning experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Students engage in projects, collaborative activities, presentations, technology-based learning, and practical applications that connect education to real life.

Our goal is not simply to teach information, but to help students understand how knowledge can be applied in meaningful and creative ways.

By learning through experience, students gain confidence in their abilities and begin to see themselves as capable creators, innovators, and future professionals.

Mentoring

Supportive relationships can have a lasting impact on a young person’s future. At WATT, mentorship is an essential part of our philosophy because we understand that encouragement, guidance, and representation matter.

We strive to create an environment where students feel seen, heard, supported, and challenged to grow. Through mentorship and positive role models, students gain the confidence to ask questions, explore new interests, and believe in their potential.

Mentorship helps students develop more than skills—it helps them develop self-belief, resilience, communication, and a vision for their future.

“Luctus lectus non quisque turpis bibendum posuere. Morbi tortor nibh, fringilla sed pretium sit amet. Vitae consequat augue. Vivamus eget dolor vel quam condimentum sodales in bibendum odio urna sit amet.”

Kenny Sing

“Vivamus id gravida mi, nec ullamcorper purus. Suspendisse ut nibh sagittis lacus viverra aliquam. Praesent ac lobortis mauris, non imperdiet quam. Praesent laoreet elit nisi, id feugiat ante accumsan sed. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae.”

Ishtiaq Parag

“In non pulvinar purus. Curabitur nisi odio, blandit et elit at, suscipit pharetra efficitur elit. Luctus lectus non quisque turpis bibendum posuere. Morbi tortor nibh, fringilla sed pretium sit amet.”

John Teh

Email
Phone

(415) 640-9200

PROGRAMS
Middle School
High School
Information Technology
Healthcare

Copyright © 2026 Divi. All Rights Reserved.