Congratulations to the 2014 Best Commitment to Education Program Finalists!
Congratulations to Best Commitment to Education Program Finalists, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft Corporation, and PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., for the 2014 Corporate Citizenship Awards!
The Corporate Citizenship Award for Best Commitment to Education Program recognizes initiatives to improve educational outcomes for students. Read on to learn more about all three incredible finalists and their educational program that cause positive social change for students!
Johnson & Johnson’s Bridge to Employment (BTE) strives to motivate young adults (14–18 year olds) from underserved communities to stay in school, excel academically, and elevate their career aspirations by providing them with enhanced academic and "real world" experiences. To address the looming shortage of health workers globally, the program focuses on healthcare careers -- targeting science, technology, engineering, and math. Typical activities of the program include mentorships, career coaching, shadowing, community service projects and hands-on team-based science projects. In 2013, Johnson & Johnson employees logged 4,257 hours for the program and reached 777 students in 16 sites across 12 countries.
The United States is facing an acute talent shortage in the Computer Science (CS) field that must be addressed to remain at the forefront of innovation. As a major technology industry employer, the CS talent shortage deeply affects Microsoft’s ability to execute its core business. In response to this dilemma, the tech company created the Technology Education and Literacy in Schools (TEALS) program. A Microsoft employee-driven effort, the TEALS program places software engineers as volunteer teachers in inner city and rural high schools. The program has grown exponentially since it began in 2009 with a single volunteer: TEALS is now in 70 schools with 280 volunteers and 3,300 students.
The first five years of life, when 90% of a child’s brain development occurs, are critical to children’s long-term achievement. However, support for early childhood education (ECE) is limited and it is often challenging for families to access the programs and experiences vital for a child’s future success. In 2004, PNC launched PNC Grow Up Great and PNC Crezca con Éxito (GREAT), a $350M, multi-year, bilingual initiative to help prepare children for success in school and life. GREAT has been a catalyst for positive change in ECE: It has served more than 2 million children, provided professional development to 138,000 teachers, and awarded more than $73 million to nonprofit organizations.
On November 20, a winner from these three excellent finalists will be announced at the 2014 Citizens Awards. Register now to attend!
Where: Washington, D.C.
5:30 - 9:30 p.m.
