Google’s billion-dollar announcement comes with $100K for NKC schools; Here’s how they’ll use it
March 20, 2024 | Taylor Wilmore
A $1 billion Google data center will begin impacting Kansas City before the tech giant officially opens its new facility in 2025, company and local officials said Wednesday, announcing a $100,000 investment to support North Kansas City schools.
“This partnership is more than just about technology, It’s about empowerment,” said Dr. Rochel Daniels, school district superintendent at North Kansas City, Wednesday morning during an announcement event with Google. “We want our more than 21,500 students to feel emboldened towards excellence, so thank you for putting your hand in ours.”
Government, community, and economic development leaders join Google in celebrating the announcement of Google’s billion-dollar data center in Kansas City; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
RELATED: Google to build $1B data center in Kansas City; aiming for 24/7 carbon-free energy use
The $100,000 contribution will go to North Kansas City School District’s alternative education STEAM center, which teaches science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
“We’re going to be very good for schools,” said Monique Picou, global vice president of cloud supply chain and operations at Google. “We need to re-skill the population that we have. These are good jobs, everything we do is above the living wage.”
North Kansas City schools already offer holistic support, real-world learning, resilience services, and comprehensive post-secondary planning for students’ success beyond their walls, officials said.
“We’re going to help make sure that we keep these students and folks interested. I am an electrical engineer by degree, so I have a lot of energy for STEAM and STEM, and want to help support that,” said Picou.
North Kansas City’s STEAM center includes a Google Career Certification Lab, a digital media studio, Innovation Fab lab, Career Exploration Labs, and more for students, giving them the building blocks to be better-prepared in their respective industries.
“The opportunity to earn a Google certification for their career in particular, will provide our students a way to earn industry recognized credentials in very high demand fields,” said Daniels.
Monique Picou, global vice president of cloud supply chain and operations for Google, announces the tech giant’s plans for a billion-dollar data center in Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
In concert with Google’s planned build at the Hunt Midwest Business Center, it is launching the STAR (Skilled Trades and Readiness) program in Kansas City to encourage students to explore new career paths.
STAR will operate in partnership with Missouri Works Initiative and the Urban League to boost skilled trades entry-level opportunities, with a focus on underrepresented communities.
All STAR pre-employment programs are paid training with networking opportunities, facilitating direct employment on local construction projects.
“Everybody isn’t going to go straight to university and go into the advanced degrees,” said Picou. “That doesn’t mean you can’t have a really good quality of living and make a great impact on this community, so we want to make sure we’re doing that.”
Taylor Wilmore
Taylor Wilmore, hailing from Lee’s Summit, is a dedicated reporter and a recent graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Taylor channels her deep-seated passion for writing and storytelling to create compelling narratives that shed light on the diverse residents of Kansas City.
Prior to her role at Startland News, Taylor made valuable contributions as a reporter for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, where she covered a wide range of community news and higher education stories.
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Kritiq fashion show MADE for Kansas City designers
Designers don’t need to go to the east or west coasts to pursue their dreams, Mark Launiu said. “There’s so much passion and grind here in Kansas City. And a lot of people on the outside don’t know that,” said Launiu, co-founder at MADE Urban Apparel. “We’re always overlooked because they think of just our…
Random origins, but no fluke: MADE grinds to grand expansion
The MADE Mobb is getting used to risk taking. “We know what it’s like to walk into something blind,” laughed Mark Launiu, co-founder at MADE Urban Apparel. Launiu, along with co-founders Vu Radley and Jonathan “JP” Platz, launched MADE in 2012 with the streetwear apparel line selling in just a few pop-up shops. Early partnerships…
Smart city leader: Can technology predict deadly shooters before it’s too late?
A smart city is a safe city, Herb Sih said. And technology can help. “If you don’t have safety, you don’t have anything,” said Sih, managing partner at Think Big Partners, one of the key collaborators in Kansas City’s $15.7 million public-private Smart City initiative. Having grown up in St. Louis, Sih said he has…
T-shirt printer GOEX hopes to clad workers in dignity
A Kansas City T-shirt screen printer has a lofty mission: Turn local purchases into global impact. “Your dollar has value in how it’s treating others across the world,” said Ryan Hudnall, engagement director at the Global Orphan Project. Tucked away near Wyandotte and 31st streets, GOEX serves as an offshoot of the Global Orphan Project,…