Microsoft and We Connect the Dots announce partnership for UpSkill Program this spring. The initiative will benefit youth, ages 18-24, in Atlanta.
A June 13, article, by Gregory Zeller, in Innovate Long Island, entitled, "New home, new partners for ambitious STEAM startup" describes that We Connect the Dots "may have found a permanent home – and has definitely identified some promising partners on its STEAM-powered mission." Zeller wrote: "The registered 501(c)3, intent on leveling the technological playing field for underprivileged students via extracurricular science, mathematics, engineering, art and math activities, is now occupying 2,500 square feet in Syosset, carved out of a larger commercial space swimming with children’s programs."
This year’s 2017 International Back-To-School Code-a-thon provided students the opportunity to engage with their peers in an immersive experiential learning program. Many students experienced for the very first time what coding is about, learning to work with other students in a coding project for the first time, and alumni students from last year had the opportunity to share their knowledge as a mentor for the first time. Many first‘s that shaped their thinking to explore, create, and solve problems on a global scale. Learning to collaborate within their teams and learning the value of cross-collaboration with teams from around the world.
We Connect The Dots Founder and Executive Director, Laurie Carey, recently joined journalist and innovative problem solver, Devin Thorpe, to discuss how we can be better communicators, thinkers, and professionals in a fast-paced, technology-dependent world. By disrupting the status quo and diversifying - not only in our professional workplace but also in our personal relationships - we can benefit from differing perspectives, fostering innovation, and positive change.
We started this journey over 19 months ago and here we are looking back on an amazing week called CreatingSTEAM, a five day experiential learning conference centered around STEAM careers.
Along the way we pivoted just a few times as any business getting started might do. Each step in the journey created new relationships and new ideas that brought us closer to our vision. That vision is to provide students, teachers and parents a look at what might be possible for a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM), and the 21st century workforce skills needed to be successful in these careers.
Welcome back, readers! Sorry to have been away so long, but we have been extremely busy and have accomplished a great deal over the past year and there is still so much more to come. I thought I would share with you some of our successes over the past year to showcase what we have learned and where this organization is headed.