Ellington Bass Sr. is the founder and CEO of Rixx City Studios, a forward-thinking creative tech company at the intersection of culture, design, and digital innovation. With a vision rooted in community empowerment and next-gen technology, Ellington leads with purpose — building tools that don’t just look good, but do good.

As the lead developer of InternConnect, the official social networking site for Step-Up Omaha!, Ellington created a platform where interns can connect, grow, and share their journeys in real time. Designed with youth in mind and authenticity at its core, InternConnect redefines what digital engagement looks like in workforce development.

I’m incredibly proud to share that InternConnect was built entirely by a team of student developers I had the honor of coaching through this summer’s App Builders program. In just 9 weeks, these young innovators designed and developed the entire site from the ground up — a full, functional platform created by child developers with zero prior experience.

What makes this even more special is that their journey doesn’t end here. These talented students — Darien Hamilton, Destinee Richardson, KaLea Bratton, CJ Jackson, Nyla Shelly, Marcus Brown, and James Keaton — five of which, will continue to serve as developers for InternConnect even beyond the end of their internship.

This isn’t just a project — it’s proof of what’s possible when we invest in youth, trust them with real challenges, and give them the tools to build something that matters.