TFA, AT&T deal will expand computer science education in KC
December 5, 2016 | Meghan LeVota
Despite the growing number of computing job openings, only 1 in 4 U.S. schools offer computer science classes, according to the White House.
To expand its computer science initiative, Teach for America Kansas City announced Monday that the organization received a donation of $100,000 from AT&T’s philanthropic arm, AT&T Aspire.
The partnership’s goal is to expand computer science education to low-income communities and reach more than 150 area students with professional development programs as well as resources for teachers. With AT&T’s support, Teach for America Kansas City members will have access to computer science curriculum and professional development.
Both organizations said they are committed to connecting teachers to opportunities to develop youth tech skills.
“Our young people are our greatest strength and will set the course for our future,” AT&T Missouri president John Sondag said in a release. “By working with Teach For America we are able to provide critical opportunities in computer science that will help ignite their potential and set them on a track to succeed in 21st-century careers.”
In 2015, Teach for America formally launched its computer science initiative with the support of AT&T and the National Science Foundation. In addition to Kansas City, the initiative will spread to the Bay Area, Dallas-Fort Worth, Rio Grande Valley, South Carolina, and Washington D.C. over the next two years.
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
I-70 wage gap? Kansas City lags St. Louis on tech pay, snapshot analysis says
St. Louis might be the gateway to higher tech pay — but not by much, according to a new nationwide snapshot analysis of tech industry jobs. The Kansas City metro logged an average tech wage of $90,940 in 2017, falling slightly behind the St. Louis metro at $96,370, based on data released in the Cyberstates…
Roller Warriors skate over 1970s-era stereotypes with message of empowerment
Kansas City Roller Warriors are in the business of self-expression, strengthening team bonds and legitimizing their sport, skaters say. The player-owned roller derby league operates as a limited liability company, but essentially functions as a non-profit, organizers said. Having grown from grassroots origins in 2004 to now a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby…
Prairie Village company’s Firefly lends serenity, tech to backyard fireworks
Prairie Village-based Winco Fireworks is officially launching Firefly, a remote firework firing system, introducing a tech blend to the formerly traditional firework industry and backyard Fourth of July celebrations. “It’s a really neat invention,” said Michael Collar, president of Winco Fireworks, which focuses on consumer fireworks. “There’s a lot of commercial firework companies that do…
We Create KC report: Startup investment soared to $540M in 2017
A startling statistic for those who think capital merely flies over the Midwest: Kansas City saw a 69 percent increase in startup investment from 2016 to 2017, according to KCSourceLink’s We Create KC report. All told, early-stage businesses classified by KCSourceLink as startups — typically defined as those with 20 or fewer employees — nabbed…