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.
