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Dell Grants $2.4 Million for Youth Learning, STEM Education, ICT Skills Training

• By Leila Meyer
• 12/02/13

Dell has announced nearly $2.4 million in grants to 26 organizations across the country as part of its Powering the Possible for Communities Youth Learning Initiative and 2020 Legacy of Good Plan.

The grants are intended to help close the learning gap for underserved youth. The funds will go to 26 organizations in 11 states, reaching 27,000 children and 1,500 educators. The grants will provide access to technology, support for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education, and ICT (information and communication technology) skill development. Dell employees will also provide volunteer support to the organizations in the implementation of these programs.

According to the company, the organizations receiving the grants were selected "because they share Dell’s vision of preparing youth for success through STEM education and the development of ICT skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and technology literacy."

Grant recipients include:

• Skillpoint Alliance in Austin, TX for its "FIRST Robotics" program that will sponsor up to 420 students working on 38 K-12 teams in a robot-building competition;
• Urban League in Oklahoma City, OK, which will use the grant money to purchase furnishings, Dell products, projectors, and wall treatments to develop an inquiry-based collaborative education setting in the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City's main administrative facility, serving approximately 200 youth;
• Youth Villages in Nashville, TN for its "New Frontiers" pilot project that will provide children with special needs with access to Dell Latitude E6420 laptops and Dell's Assistive Technology Services to help them overcome language and disability barriers to improve problem solving and critical thinking skills; and
• Girl Scouts USA for its "Be the Video Game Developer" program and curriculum, which aims to help girls develop ICT and STEM skills by contributing to the development of a video game that will be made available on the Girl Scouts USA site.

Information about other recipients of Dell's Youth Learning Initiative grants can be found at dell.com/youthlearning.