More than 100 Detroit students from Cass Technical High School, Osborn High School, and Central High School are expected to participate on Thursday, Sept. 27 in the 2018 Discover Detroit Technology Challenges on the campus of Wayne State University. Sponsored by AT&T and in partnership with WordPress.com, Rebrand Cities and Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP), the challenge will serve as a gateway for juniors and seniors to consider technology and web development as a career path.
With no prior experience needed, participating students will learn to build mobile-friendly WordPress.com websites during the challenge. During the event, students will work alongside an experienced developer to create and produce websites around the themes of stopping distracted driving and curbing the problem of cyberbullying with a winning website(s)? being selected from each school. Prizes will be awarded for the best websites, and students will also attend a talk about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) and participate in hands-on, interactive sessions led by industry professionals.
The event is being made possible through support from AT&T and is part of the company’s “Believe Detroit” initiative, a community and employee engagement project aimed a helping promote educational opportunity and academic achievement for students in the City of Detroit.
“Hands-on experience with technology and coding can expose students to the great opportunities available to them as they work to graduate high school and think about where they want to go in life,” said David Lewis, President of AT&T Michigan. “Our AT&T team is proud to both participate in and help make this experience possible for these students at Cass Tech, Osborn and Central.”
Featured speakers at the event will be WDIV Local 4 News Anchors Rhonda Walker and Evrod Cassimy, John Maeda and Chris Taylor of WordPress.com, Rebrand Cities founder Hajj Flemings and Lewis of AT&T.
“Tech has a diversity problem. We want Detroit Public School students to be prepared to design the future and partnering with AT&T and WordPress.com to create a hands-on experience is part of that roadmap”
– Hajj Flemings, Founder of Rebrand Cities.
‘The Discover Detroit Technology Challenge will take place at Wayne State University’s Undergraduate Library on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 9 AM to 2 PM.
About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. The company’s signature philanthropic initiative, AT&T Aspire, drives innovation in education to promote student success in school and beyond. With a financial commitment of $400 million since 2008, AT&T is leveraging technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.
Rebrand Cities is a global civic design partnership with WordPress.com. Our audacious goal is to get 10,000 businesses online. There are 28 Million small businesses that drive the American economy and forty-six percent (46%) of these entities operate without a website. The absence of a web presence has led to trillions of dollars of unrealized business in neighborhoods all across America. Rebrand Cities is fueled by a multi-disciplinary collaboration with business owners, community stakeholders, and local governments to eradicate the digital divide. Our goal with this project is to help the next generation of Detroit High School students reimagine the future of work and understand their place in the new economy.