NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- New York City
Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina
joined AT&T and Girls Who Code Thursday, Together,
they celebrated the graduation of the Girls Who Code Summer
Immersion Program at AT&T, a seven-week computer science
program aimed at educating, inspiring and equipping high school
girls with the skills and resources to pursue future careers in
technology.
Twenty young women from New
York area high schools participated in the program at
AT&T's office at Rockefeller Center. The students participated
in an intensive curriculum program, logging more than 300 hours of
computer science experience. They also attended field trips
and met with leading women in technology to build their
awareness.
"New York City's girls and
young women are our next generation of engineers, software
developers, and scientists. I'm proud of these girls for investing
in their education over the summer, and I'm grateful for all the
adults – teachers, mentors, parents – who've supported them and
reminded them that they can achieve anything," said Chancellor
Farina. "I look forward to watching our Girls Who Code – and the
thousands of girls in our City's STEM classes and programs –
continue on their way to a bright future."
"As a company committed to building a diverse workforce and as
an early supporter of Girls Who Code, we've seen first hand the
power of nurturing young women's careers in high tech fields," said
Marissa Shorenstein, president,
AT&T New York. "This summer's class of Girls Who Code inspired
me everyday with their intelligence, passion and curiosity. They
represent the very best of our future workforce and I look forward
to following their progress."
Last year, AT&T Aspire, the company's signature education
initiative, provided Girls Who Code a $1
million contribution to grow its program. During the
graduation ceremony Aug. 27, the girls presented their final
projects to family, friends and others. They received diplomas
from Reshma Saujani, founder of
Girls Who Code, Marissa Shorenstein,
president, AT&T New York, and Chancellor Farina.
"AT&T's collaboration with and support of Girls Who Code has
resulted in exactly the kind of outcomes we are striving for," said
Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who
Code. "Many of our alumni have gone on to study computer science in
college and stay on a path towards careers in the field. This year
we have 1,200 girls graduating from the Summer Immersion Program
across the country and are so grateful to the role AT&T has
played and continues to play in this growth."
During the final weeks of the program, the girls were tasked
with creating and developing their own, original ideas, which they
demonstrated to each other in class and at the graduation. Among
the girls' final projects are:
- Wishlist – A web-based app that lets
users search Amazon Instant Video for a TV show or movie. If
the TV show or movie is not available, the user can add it
to a wishlist, and will be notified when it is available.
- Water World – Today a fraction of humans across the
world have access to clean water. Water World spreads awareness
about the water crisis to the public.
- StressBalm – A mobile app that educates users about
stress and its health effects. It provides solutions and activities
to help soothe users by acting as a stress relief resource.
- Arctic Rescue – A website with an interactive game to
educate users about global warming. It provides links to sites
where users can donate to wildlife conservation funds.
- Don't Push My Buttons – This interactive game helps
raise awareness about Asperger's Syndrome and low spectrum
autism.
- Space Cleaners – This virtual game helps raise awareness
about space debris by having users collect trash and avoid meteors
to win the game.
- CashBook – This money management app helps teens keep
track of their income and expenses, preparing them for a future of
financial independence and responsibility.
The girls attended a number of field trips over the course of
the program, including AT&T's Global Network Operations Center
(GNOC). The students also visited other leading technology
companies, including Bloomberg and Microsoft, and heard from top
leading executives about future careers in technology.
About Philanthropy and Social Innovation at
AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is committed to advancing
education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through
its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing
in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic
and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2014,
nearly $127 million was contributed
or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment- and
AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T's
signature education initiative that drives innovation in education
by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including
funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and
mentoring.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions
around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high
speed Internet and voice services. We're the world's largest
provider of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin
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