BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and Bank of America [NYSE: BAC] will recognize 35 high-school women for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology at the Bank of America Technology Stars of the Future Showcase & Awards Ceremony on March 12, 2011, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The young women are winners of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing, which recognizes high-school women for their computing-related achievements and interests. Each winner will receive $500 cash, a laptop computer, an engraved award for both her and her school, and a trip with a parent or legal guardian to attend the Technology Showcase and Awards Ceremony at Bank of America.
“For the fourth consecutive year, Bank of America is pleased to sponsor the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing,” said Amy Brady, Bank of America Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Control Functions Technology & Operations. “Not only is the award important to the bank, but it’s also meaningful to me as a woman who chose a career in the IT industry. The young ladies we’re recognizing represent our industry’s future and it’s exciting to be able to contribute to their professional growth.”
The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing was created to encourage the computing aspirations of young women, introduce them to leadership opportunities and careers, and generate visibility for women’s participation in technology fields. Winners are acknowledged for their outstanding aptitude and interest in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education.
The 35 young women chosen as national winners of the 2011 NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing were selected from among more than 2,800 students, representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and overseas military bases. The winners come from broad diversity of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds: 34 percent are African American, Latina, or Native American/Alaska Native; 17 percent attend schools where 40 percent or more of the student body receives free or subsidized lunch.
“With technology jobs projected to grow faster than all other job sectors in the next decade, it’s imperative that we nurture the computing aspirations of women, who will make up half the professional workforce,” said Lucy Sanders, CEO and Co-founder of NCWIT. “Bank of America’s support for this award allows us to encourage talent that might otherwise be overlooked.”
Following are the 2011 winners of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing:
Amanda Berckefeldt, Paola High School, Paola, Kansas
Arushi Raghuvanshi, Jesuit High School, Portland, Oregon
Ayesha Bose, Francis Parker School, San Diego, California
Beth Hadley, Northville High School, Northville, Michigan
Caroline Aronoff, Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Chelsea Risinger, Tremont High School, Tremont, Illinois
Danielle Chapa, Sandra Day O’Connor High School, Helotes, Texas
Daria Jordan, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Elena Nadolinski, Woodson High School, Fairfax, Virginia
Grace Gee, Calhoun High School, Port Lavaca, Texas
Hannah Weidman, Centaurus High School, Lafayette, Colorado
Hiranya Mir, Miami Lakes Education Center, Hialeah, Florida
Ivanna Gutierrez, Phillip O. Berry Academy Of Technology, Charlotte, North Carolina
Julia Hossu, School of Science & Engineering, Dallas, Texas
Katherine Sercombe, Convent of the Visitation School, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
Kathryn Bartel, Horace Mann School, Bronx, New York
Mallory Banks, Porter Gaud School, Charleston, South Carolina
Marina Nogueira, York School, Monterey, California
Nicole Edelstein, Lake Brantley High School, Altamonte Springs, Florida
Nora Castrejon, Benito Juarez Community Academy, Chicago, Illinois
Olivia Wiles, Stuart Country Day School, Princeton, New Jersey
Priscilla Rodriguez, Silverado High School, Victorville, California
Rachel Holladay, Northshore High School, Slidell, Louisiana
Rebecca Kekelishvili, Staten Island Tech High School, Staten Island, New York
Rebia Khan, Xavier College Preparatory High School, Phoenix, Arizona
Roya Edalatpour, Harmony Science Academy - El Paso, El Paso, Texas
Samantha Swartz, Mt. Everett Regional High School, Sheffield, Massachusetts
Samantha McGuinn, Las Cruces High School, Las Cruces, New Mexico
Sarah Huber, Holton-Arms School, Bethesda, Maryland
Serena Booth, White Station High School, Memphis, Tennessee
Tanya Petach, Fairview High School, Boulder, Colorado
Taylor Griffin, Highland High School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tess Rinearson, Lakeside School, Seattle, Washington
Victoria Gunning, Centennial High School, Boise, Idaho
Vivian Stepp, Douglass High School, Atlanta, Georgia
About NCWIT
NCWIT is the National Center for Women & Information Technology, a non-profit coalition of 250 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits working to increase women's participation in IT and computing. NCWIT helps organizations recruit, retain, and advance women from K-12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.
About Bank of America
Bank of America is proud to have been the national sponsor for the National Award for Aspirations in Computing since the program began in 2007.
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 57 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,900 retail banking offices and approximately 18,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 29 million active users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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