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Intel She Will Connect: Connecting U.S. middle school girls to innovation experiences

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This blog was posted on behalf of Pia Wilson-Body. Pia is the Executive Director of the Intel Foundation and the Director of the Corporate Affairs Group at Intel- Greater Americas. The Intel Foundation award grants focused on increasing opportunities for girls, women, and under-represented minorities, and supports the philanthropic efforts of Intel's employees in education, local communities, and disaster.

 

Middle school represents a critical juncture in young women’s lives when they begin considering future academic and career directions.  By removing barriers and fueling interest in technology related subjects during middle school, girls will be able to make better informed decisions about their role in technology, engineering, and computer science in high school and beyond. The Intel Foundation is committed to catalyzing change for girls who are often excluded from accessing these opportunities and closing the technology gender and social equity gaps. We seek to empower, excite, encourage, and engage girls to become future innovators and spark their interest in technology-related studies thereby expanding their academic, career, and life opportunities.  We recognize that this a bold challenge, and we cannot do it alone.

To reach our goal and expand our impact, the Intel Foundation is proud to announce a $1 million investment to support coalitions of partners working to drive collective action to inspire and empower middle school girls from disenfranchised communities in Arizona as part of the Intel® She Will Connect initiative. The new partner coalitions and activities will include:

  • TEC is For Girls!!! - Technology, Engineering, and Computer Science for Middle School Girls. A coalition of Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, Phoenix College, South Mountain Community College, and Gateway Community College to bring the experience of college and technology-related studies to middle school girls, enabling them to see themselves in those career paths, and encouraging them to nurture their interests in technology, engineering and computer science.

  • Enabling Future Engineers through innovative, real-world STEM curriculum. A collaboration with Iridescent and AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute to infuse technology, engineering and computer science curriculum into their college preparation and life skills development programs. The coalition aims to inspire girls with cutting-edge innovations from industry and research, support them in developing their curiosity, creativity and perseverance, and help parents better support their daughter’s educational and career aspirations in a technology related field.

  • Technolochicas Lift. Televisa Foundation and the League of United Latin American Citizens will work together to bring technology and hands-on training to existing technology centers in the community to develop innovation skills and stimulate middle-school girls’ interest in technology, engineering and computer science education and careers.


Girls-RFP-lunch-group-shot.jpg Intel and our new partners gathered to kick off the collaboration efforts.

Collaboration is key to meet the challenge ahead of us and help fulfill the Intel® She Will Connect mission, specifically in our goal of inspiring U.S. middle school girls to become technology creators and innovators. We look forward to working together with our partners to implement effective interventions and provide access to middle school girls from disenfranchised communities.  As part of this collective effort, Intel will collaborate with our partners to advance thought leadership and leverage a diversified portfolio of resources, tools, and volunteers to achieve more meaningful and lasting positive impact in the lives of our girls, families and communities. Also, our partners will be participating in upcoming gatherings hosted by Intel to advance the collaboration efforts, the first to be held in April at the Intel Chandler, AZ, site.

For more information on all the great work the Intel Foundation enables visit the Intel Foundation page.