‘Ignite Innovation Student Challenge’ Invites Students to Use Computational Thinking to Create Digital Solutions to Real World Problems
NEW YORK, NY | SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 22, 2019: – Tata Consultancy Services, (TCS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, and Discovery Education, the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms, are launching the second year of igniting innovation through computational thinking.
The TCS’ Ignite Innovation Student Challenge encourages sixth through eighth-grade students to use computational thinking to create digital solutions that improve the world and solve problems impacting TCS’ three social responsibility pillars: Our Planet, Health, and Education. Digital solution ideas will be communicated through 1-2-minute video entries submitted by April 9, 2020. The winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship and a virtual mentorship with TCS team members and partners.
“TCS is committed to preparing the next generation of young innovators by providing resources to foster their creativity so they can find solutions to societal challenges,” said Balaji Ganapathy, Head of Workforce Effectiveness, TCS. “We’re excited to see the fresh ideas, spirit and innovation that come out of this year’s TCS’ Ignite Innovation Student Challenge.”
Launched in 2017, Ignite My Future in School is an initiative that combines the best of digital content, lesson plans, career vignettes, and professional learning to help teachers prepare their students for careers of the future. The TCS’ Ignite Innovation Student Challenge launched in 2018 connecting computational thinking strategies and real-world problem solving.
“Ignite My Future in School provides educators and students with useful resources that offer hands-on practice applying the concepts of computational thinking,” said Lori McFarling, Senior Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, Discovery Education. “The ‘Ignite Innovation Student Challenge’ takes that practice a step further, empowering students to truly believe in their ability to solve real-world problems.”
Last year’s grand prize winner was eleven-year-old Ryan H. from The Pegasus School in Huntington Beach, CA, who received $10,000 and virtual mentorship from TCS technology experts. Ryan earned recognition for his invention, Early Wildlife Fire Detection Network, an early wildfire detection system that enables firefighters to activate an app on their mobile device using a low-cost wireless field module. In addition to Ryan’s winning innovation, nine other student winners were selected to receive prizes. Three of the nine winners were recognized for Pillar Prizes in ‘Planet, Health and Education,’ and included
Shraman K. from Meyzeek Middle School in Louisville, KY who won Top Our Planet Pillar Winner for his invention titled Mobile App Foodle. Shraman created a software platform to provide accessible food to homeless people.
Gitanjali R. from STEM School Highland Ranch in Highlands Ranch, CO was named the Top Health Pillar Winner for the invention titled Early Diagnosis of Opioid Addiction. Gitanjali created a kit that would arm physicians with an easy diagnostic tool to identify patients who are on the verge of addiction.
Alexandria C. from Charles P. Murray Middle School in Wilmington, NC was been named the Top Education Pillar Winner for her invention titled Sign Buddy. Alexandria created a cube that translates sign language into spoken English and also translates spoken English into ASL and ESL.
Ignite My Future in School offers educators instructional resources and year-round curriculum support to ensure that computational thinking is embedded into core subjects such as math, sciences, arts and social studies. This interdisciplinary approach helps students to obtain the necessary skills required for 21st century careers across all industries.
On a national level, Ignite My Future in School has a goal of engaging 20,000 teachers and one million US students by 2021. Since the program’s launch, it has reached more than 9,000 teachers and nearly 550,000 students in 100+ school districts across all 50 states. Ignite My Future resources are available at no-cost at ignitemyfutureinschool.org
For more information on the TCS Discovery Education Ignite Innovation Student Challenge, including idea starters, project flow, four-week road map, planning guide, templates, and complete rules, please visit www.IgniteMyFutureInSchool.org/Challenge.
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About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS):
Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for the last fifty years. TCS offers a consulting-led, cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.
A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 450,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 46 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $20.9 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit us at www.tcs.com.
To stay up-to-date on TCS news in North America, follow @TCS_NA. For TCS global news, follow @TCS_News.
About Discovery Education:
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com. Stay connected with Discovery Education on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @DiscoveryEd.
Contacts:
Tata Consultancy Services
Ben Trounson, Tata Consultancy Services, b.trounson@tcs.com
Marguerite Pinheiro, for Tata Consultancy Services, marguerite.pinheiro@fleishman.com
Discovery Education
Jackie Kavege, Discovery Education, jkavege@discoveryed.com