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Twin Cities PBS Receives a Craig Newmark Philanthropies Grant

July 12, 2019

St. Paul, Minn. (July 12, 2019) Craig Newmark Philanthropies has awarded Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) a $69,700 grant to support SciGirls newest season focused on girls and coding and computational science. 

SciGirls newest season will motivate girls, ages 8-13, especially from underrepresented populations, in computer science studies and pathways. This three-year initiative is rooted in the success of TPT’s SciGirls, a project which includes a national PBS television series, a PBS Kids website, educational outreach programming, and professional development workshops. All project components are informed by research-based gender equitable and culturally competent instructional strategies, and work in concert to engage and inspire youth, families and educators around science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

Craig Newmark Philanthropies gift will specifically enable TPT to create Women Who Code, a new series of role model videos of women who are computer science professionals, as well as an accompanying Women Who Code Discussion Guide.  These resources will inspire youth, families and educators around computer science and coding. The short-form videos profiles are perfect for use in educational spaces and across social media, and will feature relatable, dynamic and innovative computer science professionals telling their stories about their cutting-edge work and the journeys they took to reach their goals.

SciGirls’ fifth season will premiere on PBS stations nationwide in December 2019. The role model videos produced for this proposed project will be employed in outreach programming to diverse youth and educators in 16 locations across the country, and will continue to reach millions via multiple PBS digital platforms for years to come.

“Coding is a critical skill for participation in tomorrow’s STEM workforce,” said Rita Karl, Executive Director of SciGirls. “We are grateful to the Craig Newmark Philanthropies for helping us achieve our goals around inspiring girls to explore and engage in computer science.”

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About Craig Newmark Philanthropies

Craig Newmark Philanthropies identifies with organizations strengthening the foundation of a trustworthy press; Americans struggling to vote and otherwise exercise their rights; women working in technology, who might be denied equal access to opportunities; and military service members, and their families.

craignewmarkphilanthropies.org

About Twin Cities PBS (TPT)

The mission of TPT is to “enrich lives and strengthen communities through the power of media.” As one of the nation’s leading public media organizations, Twin Cities PBS (TPT) uses television, interactive media and community engagement to advance education, culture and citizenship. Over its nearly 60-year history, TPT has been recognized for its innovation and creativity with numerous awards, including Peabody awards and national and regional Emmys.

Based in St. Paul, MN, TPT is the most highly-viewed public TV station in the nation, reaching over 1.7 million people each month through multiple broadcast and online channels. The organization’s particular areas of focus include: the educational readiness of children; serving the needs and unleashing the potential of America’s aging population; engaging a new generation in the power of public media; and being the preferred media partner for organizations that align with our mission to enrich lives and strengthen community.

For more information about TPT, visit our website at www.tpt.org or join us on Facebook and Twitter. 

Contact:

Kristin Pederson, Director of STEM Project Development and Communications

651-229-1288  |  [email protected]

© Twin Cities Public Television - 2019. All rights reserved.

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