AT&T & STSI Partner For Girls Coding Camp – Yonkers Times
Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins Speaks to Group
New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
visited The AT&T and STSI All Girls Coding Camp recently to address the 22
participants on the importance of girls engaging in a science, technology,
engineering and math education and career path. The two-and-a-half-week
program, held at the Yonkers Riverfront Library is the region’s only all-girl
coding program exclusively for young black and girls of color.
Stewart-Cousins recently stopped by the library while the
program was taking place, during which students and teachers demonstrated what
the young women have learned during their experience, thus far.
AT&T and Sister to Sister International partnered to
create AT&T & STSI All Girls Coding Camp to encourage more young black
and girls of color to enter the field of technology, specifically coding – an
industry that is alarmingly male-dominant. The free program has been made
possible by a $23,000 contribution from AT&T.
Participants are learning computer coding basics and how
technology and computer science can be used for social good to create solutions
to address issues impacting youth, such as cyberbullying, online safety, and
being a good digital citizen. The camp is also connecting girls with coding
projects that can make a difference in their respective schools and
communities. The girls are exposed to a myriad of coding applications and go on
field trips to tech settings like Apple, and meet role models.
They also conduct research on STEM job opportunities,
especially related to computer technology.
STSI is a multi-faceted nonprofit established in 1994 that
advocates for the advancement of black women and families of color, with
special focus in the areas of education, health and wellness, and global
affairs. Programs and activities offered by the organization promote academic
enrichment, mentoring, life-skills and global awareness.
Coding is quickly becoming the new literacy and is the
driver of all new digital technology. According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics and U.S. Department of Labor, much of the growth in the domestic and
global economy will come from STEM-related jobs – a highly lucrative and
competitive field.
It is estimated that by 2020, there will be 2.4 million
unfilled STEM jobs with more than half made up of computer and coding careers,
underscoring the importance of providing youth the tools and skills necessary
to compete in this innovation economy. The urgency for more computer science
employees is accentuated by the low percentage of females who are currently employed
at major technology firms (29 percent) and women pursuing bachelors’ degrees
for computer science, (18 percent).
These statistics emphasizes the importance of providing
programing like the AT&T & STSI All Girls Coding Camp.
“AT&T is proud to collaborate with Sister to Sister
International to develop and support this innovative experience for girls, as
it further enhances our commitment to providing resources for STEM-related
educational programming throughout New York, and builds upon our vigorous efforts
to bridge the gender and diversity gap in the technology industry,” said Amy
Kramer, president of New York, AT&T.
“I am so impressed by these remarkable girls and am excited
to see their final projects using technology to curb cyberbullying and promote
online safety – critical issues AT&T is dedicated to addressing. It was
also an honor to have Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins tour the program
and for providing motivational remarks to the impressive female participants.”
Cheryl Brannan, founder of Sister to Sister International,
said STSI is grateful to AT&T for its support of the camp this summer.
“We look forward to working with them on an on-going basis
as we strive to close the significant representation gaps among black and girls
of color in STEM fields and coding skills,” she said. “We are also grateful to
Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins who has been a staunch supporter since
our inception. Both Majority Leader Cousins and Amy Kramer are good role models
and champions for advancing women in technology.”
AT&T’s support of this program is part of the company’s
legacy of supporting educational programs focused on STEM disciplines in New
York through AT&T Aspire, the company’s signature $500 million
philanthropic initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing
diverse resources to bear on the issue, including funding, technology, programing,
employee volunteerism and mentoring.
Aspire is one of the nation’s largest corporate commitments
focused on school success and workforce readiness by creating new learning
environments and educational delivery systems to help students succeed and prepare
them to take on 21st century careers.
The program is also part of Believe New York, an extension
of AT&T Believes, a larger company-wide initiative, which aims to create
positive change in local communities.
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