PALO ALTO, California,
December 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Through a Series of Grants, the Foundation
Will Introduce Computer Science Education to an
Additional 725 Underrepresented and Minority Students
Across Nine States
Infosys Foundation USA today
announced numerous grants to extend its on-going efforts to reduce
the digital divide in America by helping underrepresented
populations gain greater access to computer science education. The
Foundation will commemorate Computer Science Education Week
(CSEdWeek) with multiple grants to support events across nine
states with participation expected from more than 700 students.
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/589162 )
The events are free workshops focused on inspiring and
empowering underrepresented students and minorities, young adults
and educators across the U.S. to become creators of technology, not
just consumers. Among the diverse groups that will participate are
students living in rural or inner-city environments, students with
autism, and minority students including Black, Hispanic, and Native
American.
"The future is being written in code. In a world that is
increasingly being reshaped by digital technology, computing
skills are becoming as foundational as science and language arts,
no matter what career a child decides to pursue,"
said Vandana Sikka,
Chairperson of Infosys Foundation USA. "By continuing to support learning
events like these, as well as helping teachers with high quality
training, research, curriculum and standards, the Foundation is
working to ensure that every child in the U.S. has the opportunity
to learn these computing skills, regardless of their
circumstances."
The following organizations are receiving grants to host free
CS-focused workshops in various cities and states throughout
CSEdWeek and the weeks following:
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society: Focuses
on substantially increasing the representation of Native Americans,
Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, First Nations
and other indigenous peoples of North
America in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
studies and careers [South
Dakota].
- Computer Technologies Program: Prepares people living
with autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities for
professional employment by providing technical training, coaching
and associated services [Berkeley,
CA].
- Digital Nest: Provides youth and young adults ages 12-24
in Watsonville, Calif. and the
surrounding agricultural community with free access to computers,
software, WiFi, and a full range of state-of-the-art digital tools
and classes [Watsonville and
Salinas, CA].
- Girl Develop It: A nonprofit organization that provides
affordable and judgment-free opportunities for women interested in
learning web and software development. Through in-person classes
and community support, Girl Develop It helps women of diverse
backgrounds achieve their technology goals and build confidence in
their careers and their everyday lives [Seattle, WA].
- Hispanic Heritage Foundation: Identifies, inspires,
prepares and positions Latino leaders in the classroom, community
and workforce to meet America's priorities. HHF also promotes
cultural pride, accomplishment, and the great promise of the
community through public awareness campaigns [Chicago, IL; Charlotte, NC].
- Level Playing Field Institute: A nonprofit
organization committed to eliminating the barriers faced by
underrepresented people of color in science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM) and fostering their untapped talent for
the advancement and benefit of all [Atlanta, GA].
- Tech Kids Unlimited: opens up the field of
technology to students with special needs and learning disabilities
to help them become the technologists of tomorrow. Their work-based
learning programs empower and inspire youth, ages 7-19, to learn,
create, and share the tools of tech while learning computational
thinking [New York, NY]
- Texas Girls Collaborative Project: Connects nonprofits,
K-12 schools, higher education institutions, companies,
organizations and individuals across the state of Texas committed to informing and motivating
girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics [Houston, TX].
- Yes We Code: A Dream Corps initiative that works with
partners to help connect hundreds of thousands underrepresented
minorities with careers in technology. #YesWeCode accelerates
access to training in high-demand technical and non-technical
skills to prepare untapped talent to enter the tech-fueled economy
[Detroit, MI].
Along with its sponsorship of these programs, Infosys Foundation
USA will also be renewing its
partnership with Code.org, providing financial support as well as
extensive resources, professional development training and social
outreach programs for educators across the country.
Speaking on the partnership, Hadi
Partovi, Chief Executive Officer, Code.org
said, "The work we've accomplished at Code.org wouldn't have
been possible without the generous support of the Infosys
Foundation. Thanks to their support, millions of students have been
introduced to rigorous computer science, and thousands of schools
are changing curriculum to embrace this 21st century field."
- For a complete list of organizations supported by Infosys
Foundation USA, please visit
here.
About Infosys Foundation USA
Infosys Foundation USA is
focused on bridging the digital divide in America by supporting
high quality computer science education and coding skills with a
particular focus on underrepresented communities. It aims to give
children and young adults the skills they need to become creators,
not just consumers, of technology. In pursuit of this mission, the
Foundation has partnered with internationally acclaimed non-profits
and institutions like Code.org, New York Academy of Sciences,
DonorsChoose.org, and the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University. In addition, Infosys
Foundation USA committed a million
dollars to the Infy Maker Awards to inspire makers across the U.S.
to demonstrate creative excellence in making projects with genuine
impact.
Learn more at http://www.infosys.org/usa/ follow on Twitter
@InfyFoundation or Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/InfosysFoundationUSA.
About Infosys
Infosys is a global leader in technology services and
consulting. We enable clients in more than 50 countries to create
and execute strategies for their digital transformation. From
engineering to application development, knowledge management and
business process management, we help our clients find the right
problems to solve, and to solve these effectively. Our team of
190,000+ innovators, across the globe, is differentiated by the
imagination, knowledge and experience, across industries and
technologies that we bring to every project we undertake.
Visit https://www.infosys.com/ to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY)
can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age.
For further information, please contact:
Asia Pacific
Sarah Gideon
Infosys, India
+91-80-4156-3998
Sarah_Gideon@infosys.com
EMEA
Paul de Lara
Infosys, UK
+44-2075162748
Paul_deLara@infosys.com
Americas
Chiku Somaiya
Infosys, USA
+1-(713)-6706752
Chiku.somaiya@infosys.com
SOURCE Infosys