Yet, a pressing question remains: are people being left behind? that the rate of bachelor鈥檚 degree attainment among the U.S. White non-Hispanic population to be 42%. Meanwhile, for the Black and Hispanic population, this is at 28% and 20.6%. More specifically, looking at among science and engineering shows that Hispanic and Black rates are at 15% and 8.5% compared to 58% for the White non-Hispanic population.

The Pathways

麻豆原创 not only acknowledged this gap a decade ago but took action, establishing the Early College High School program in 2013. Since its inception, this program has supported over 2,000 students from under-resourced and historically marginalized communities across North America. The goal of the program is to empower public schools to curate distinct educational programs centered around inclusion in STEM, postsecondary readiness, and workforce skill development.

What鈥檚 more, the program鈥檚 flexibility meets schools and educators where they are at. Currently implemented in four schools within the U.S. and Canada, the program is seen within a wide range of STEM and technical skills pathways, from Skyline High School in Oakland, California, which focuses on the arts and visual media, to the hands-on STEM incubator for students at Templeton High School in Vancouver, British Columbia. Specificity and customizability are some of the unique aspects of this larger umbrella of programs.

We鈥檝e shared stories of the program鈥檚 impact on individuals, but are these one-off examples or are these programs truly impactful for the students? To find out, we worked with , a nonprofit focused on building equity through education and research, engaging current students, educators, and community members. Together, we set out to foster reconnection and survey alumni from the participating high schools.

The survey, , was completed by 128 program alumni, accounting for approximately one-fifth of the graduating cohorts that the early college high schools decided to survey. It examined topics relating to alumni demographics, educational attainment, high school experiences and impact, and career intentions. Instead of forcing a one-size-fits-all program or survey, 麻豆原创 and Digital Promise consistently worked to meet the varied and changing needs of the partnering schools.

The Findings

While it鈥檚 important to keep in mind that not all alumni responded to the survey, the results were incredibly promising and exceeded our expectations. Of the alumni who responded to the survey, 85% completed or are pursuing post-secondary degrees and 63% are in STEM-related degree programs. This contrasts starkly with the U.S. national average, where only had received post-secondary education and just pursue STEM-related degrees.

This reveals significantly higher numbers of STEM majors within the program and an increased likelihood that students would pursue STEM and technical careers after graduation. Impressively, program alumni report expected careers in fields such as IT, engineering, computer science, healthcare, arts and design, and business and financial operations.

The Impact

In the survey, alumni highlighted the benefits of the program in preparing them for college and giving them access to early college credits, especially in STEM. One alumnus from Charlestown High School in Charlestown, Massachusetts, recounted that the program 鈥済ave me a taste of what college courses would be like if I took them, and it challenged me intellectually.鈥� Likewise, at Business Technology Early College High School (or BTECH) in Queens, New York, alumni highlighted the benefits of the program preparing them for college, giving them access to college credits, communication skills, guides, mentors, and belonging. One former BTECH student explained that 鈥淭aking college classes early in high school has helped me bypass several classes in my bachelor’s degree program. The program鈥hallenged me a lot and helped me improve my writing and communication skills. I loved this early college program and wouldn’t choose anything else if I had to go back again.鈥�

These programs gave many students unprecedented access to sophisticated STEM educational pathways and opportunities for experiential learning in science and technology. At Templeton Secondary School, the program serves as an incubator for early STEM and tech talent by giving students hands-on experience with science experiments, lab work, and creative problem-solving. One Templeton alumni highlighted the sophistication of Templeton鈥檚 STEM preparedness programs, stating, 鈥淸In college] I am often the only one that has used tools and machines and worked in a self-taught environment, and it鈥檚 helped me get into design teams, do well in project courses, and get jobs.鈥�

Similarly, students at Skyline High School echoed the aforementioned benefits of college credits, career exposure, and even coding. In addition to providing pathways to STEM and professional development, Skyline鈥檚 program focuses on preparing students for careers in film and media. Alumni from this unique program spoke to the value of training in multimedia, professional software, and project management experience, explaining that 鈥淲orking on a professional film set opened my eyes to the possibilities for my future career.鈥�

The Future

As we work towards a more equitable society, connecting students and early talent with opportunity is essential. Our results reveal a wide range of diverse benefits from our Early College High School program. 麻豆原创 hopes to continue working with Digital Promise to build out an alumni database for the program, expand survey offerings, and help other programs reconnect with their alumni. As our workforce continues to evolve, there is an ever-growing need to create inclusive educational pathways for all students to develop future skills, and gain access to a higher education. It is incumbent upon all of us to make sure all students are empowered and supported as they decide their path to the future.

Chelsey Lerdahl is part of 麻豆原创 North America Corporate Social Responsibility.

I鈥檝e seen this in my own community. Parents like me are feeling nervous about education given the last few years of inconsistency. Our educators are also feeling that and other burdens. It seems like instead of getting lighter, in a post-COVID world, this weight is getting heavier.

A study by the earlier this year found that 44% of public schools reported either a full- or part-time vacancy. Meanwhile, found that 53% of elementary to high school public schools felt understaffed entering this school year.

Teacher burnout is another issue. A found that K-12 workers鈥� rates of burnout was higher than all other industries across the country, outpacing even healthcare and law. According to a 2022 , only slightly more than half of teachers are satisfied with their jobs, and only 12% are very satisfied,聽 which compares to 39% 10 years ago.

Research also paints a concerning picture of the pandemic鈥檚 impact on students. , using data from 5.4 million U.S students in grades three to eight,聽 found a 鈥渟izeable drop鈥� in reading and math test scores. The authors note that the math dip is larger than the estimated impact from other school disruptions, like Hurricane Katrina.

Is New Technology a Tool to Improve Engagement and Teacher Satisfaction?

Technology has played an increasing role in education. It has kept it afloat in many ways, but has it made it better? I believe that there are new technologies that may be able to help classrooms improve.

Case in point is a study, which found a strong association between the quality of digital learning tools and student outcomes. Put differently, the higher the quality of the technology, the stronger the connection to better student outcomes.

The Skill Immersion Lab

麻豆原创, in partnership with JFFLabs, a unit of national education nonprofit JFF, and spatial computing company Talespin, launched the Skill Immersion Lab in 2021. The program utilizes virtual reality (VR) headsets and top-notch immersive learning modules to train students in essential skills, like communication, problem solving and leadership.

Last year, we found that the program increased learner confidence, improved their ability to express ideas, and improved empathetic communication, among other findings. Key, and especially relevant today, in the Skill Immersion Lab, educators are freed up to better support student learning. This puts educators in a different role of guiding and supporting learners instead of being responsible for the design and implementation of classroom activities.

This year we rolled out the program at two new sites. Our results confirmed the findings from last year: The vast majority of students who participated in the program were significantly more satisfied with their education experiences, felt an increased sense of belonging, were engaged more with their work, and improved their communication skills.

In the words of Michelle, an educator from Arizona, 鈥淭hat’s what educators dream. Students owning their education, their skills, their abilities, and really understanding that they’re capable of so much more.鈥�

Jalen, an educator from Ohio, said, 鈥淚 felt like [the Skill Immersion Lab] opened my eyes to a new side of educational tools. There’s books and Googles and YouTube videos, but sometimes engagement is the hardest part with kids. So something like this technology, it meets that engagement tenfold, at least gets them started and ready for something interesting鈥�.鈥�

Breaking Down Year Two Outcomes

From the outset of the program, we saw impressive results. For instance, there was a 148% improvement in communication skills practiced during the very first VR lesson that learners completed.

Looking holistically at the program, 85% of students who completed the program felt they learned more about communication skills through these virtual reality lessons. Eighty eight percent of students felt engaged while experiencing and discussing virtual reality lessons, and 84% enjoyed their experience in the program.

As a senior from Arizona put it, 鈥淲e’re learning skills without even knowing that we’re learning skills. I think that’s a better way of learning.鈥�

When students are happy, engaged, and passionate about their learning experience, everyone, especially teachers, reap the rewards.

One learner said, 鈥淚 feel like it was a little more engaging than a classroom setting would be, as I get to experience what an actual interaction would be like.鈥�

With time, our goals for the Skill Immersion Lab have evolved: To help change students鈥� relationships with education to foster greater engagement and enjoyment. As Michelle said, 鈥淪tudents are engaged in their learning, they’re taking ownership of their learning.鈥�

Jalen also noted that he thinks 鈥渢he students got a new perspective on education鈥� and that it 鈥渕ade teaching a lot more interesting for me.鈥�

One unintended outcome from Skill Immersion Lab we鈥檙e seeing is that this type of learning increases a student鈥檚 sense of belonging. Another longtime time partner, 100kin10, has also completed important work on the importance of belonging in the classroom. the feeling of belonging was the most important predictor of whether a student persevered in STEM education.

In terms of our future with Skill Immersion Lab, Priya Chowdhary, Skill Immersion Lab program lead at JFFLabs, sums this up best: 鈥淲e look to scale this program in close collaboration with learners and educators themselves. They are at the center of this process and JFF together with 麻豆原创 will continue to look to them as experts as we build a future of immersive learning that is equitable, effective, and engaging for all.鈥�

Katie Booth is head of 麻豆原创 North America Corporate Social Responsibility.

Her story begins with the vision of another individual, one who also received an impactful mentorship early in life.

The Possibilities of Early Mentorship

Tony Buehler, senior IT manager of 麻豆原创 at HISD and founder of the 麻豆原创 (OneSource) Student Internship Program, found his passion and future career back in 1995, when a mentor suggested he research the up-and-coming software company known as 麻豆原创. He was told that 麻豆原创 would likely become foundational to just about every business infrastructure and could lead to a long and fruitful career.

Nearly 20 years later, in 2014, Buehler brought his burgeoning 麻豆原创 expertise to the HISD IT department. At the time, he was sent to an IT management class that explored the theme, 鈥淲hat can you do in your department to help students?鈥� Buehler realized that upon leaving school, students would be exposed to 麻豆原创 processes in some manner at most businesses. He suggested implementing a hands-on curriculum for teaching 麻豆原创 to high school students. With the approval of his superiors, he launched an experimental extracurricular program 鈥� with a mentorship-based approach 鈥� for junior- and senior-level students.

The eight-week commitment required interns to attend meetings and training sessions, working with their mentors on resolving problems and making enhancements in the HISD production system. Remarkably, by the fifth week, interns were able to analyze and solve real customer issues alongside their mentor.

The Growth of the Internship Program

The internship program started with just eight students in its first year 鈥� five from Sam Houston MSTC High School and three from Scarborough High School. To date, over 100 students have graduated from the program and continued on to pursue a college education. The eighth-largest school district in the U.S., economically disadvantaged students. For many, the pursuit of a college education, let alone a career in technology, seemed like an impossible dream. But Buehler and his team believed that internships using a mentoring model could change the game. Their goal was to empower youth with the realization that they could understand 麻豆原创 and apply that knowledge towards a college path and future career.

Within four years, HISD鈥檚 麻豆原创 internship program became the first K-12 program to join the Global University Alliance. The alliance is a worldwide consortium of over 3,400 colleges and universities, with a focus on enterprise and industry standards, research, and best practices. HISD is proud to be the only non-college-level member.

鈥淭his program is a big deal for us,鈥� Buehler said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing something no one else is doing. Our internship program looks at each student as a diamond in the rough. It鈥檚 great to see these students sparkle when they realize that they have the ability and desire to pursue a career in the technology field for their future.鈥�

The Groundwork for Purpose and Success

Jennifer certainly represents an 麻豆原创 program success story. With her years of experience attained through classes and work as a summer intern, she is well prepared for an 麻豆原创 career. Buehler knew that with her knowledge, she would be a perfect fit within the HISD IT department. He even adjusted an open position to entry-level status so Jennifer could qualify to apply. Out of 43 applicants, her superior r茅sum茅 made her the obvious choice.

As one of the first students in the program, she credits the internship with fully preparing her for the successful transition to college IT courses. In fact, her level of 麻豆原创 knowledge was so comprehensive, she was asked to teach first-level classes by one of her professors. Jennifer is quick to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of her mentors and the life-changing merits of the program.

鈥淭y Matthews was the mentor that oversaw setting us up with the right person depending on our interests,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he was always someone with whom we could comfortably express our concerns, and she always guided us in the right direction. Even after the internship, she would always reach out to connect and guided me to come back every summer for the internship. As a result, I spent six years working as a summer intern. This program has been a success due in big part to her contribution and kindness to the students. Tony also made us feel very welcome and would include us in his weekly team meetings to make us feel like real employees. His promotion of that kind of opportunity and consideration truly made me feel like I could become a business professional.鈥�

Today, Jennifer is embracing her additional role as an ambassador of the program by speaking to area high schools about the merits of 麻豆原创 training and careers in IT. She stands before them as a testimony of what can be achieved. With future plans to expand the program across the rest of the district, eight schools may offer 麻豆原创 training within the next two or three years. Jennifer says she is ready to pay it forward by sharing her journey as motivation for other students to pursue their aspirations and hopes for a fulfilling career. She has come full circle 鈥� from student, to graduate, to 麻豆原创 professional, and, now, to inspirational mentor.

Steve Risseeuw is national vice president of State, Local, Education, & Healthcare at 麻豆原创.聽

Data Science for Everyone found that 90% of the world’s data was created in the last two years. However, only 11% of high school students take a statistics course. Data science jobs have seen a 650% growth since 2012 and reports show that seven of 10 careers with the fastest growth are data-centric. In order to prepare students for the future, a change needs to be made with their relationship with data.

Data Science聽for聽Everyone is a聽 among students, comprised of a coalition of more than 160 educators, policymakers, and industry leaders. Earlier this year, Data Science for Everyone submitted a letter to the Biden administration urging to make data literacy a national priority. They have created actionable steps and gathered resources for educators to implement into their curriculum.

To date, states including California, Oregon, and Ohio are working to update their current curriculum to meet the growing demand. Additionally, UCLA鈥檚 Introduction to Data Science course is taught in 26 school districts nationwide. This is still not enough; additional advocacy is needed to help ensure that the issue of data literacy remains part of the conversation surrounding education.

Last month, Data Science for Everyone held a virtual Commitments Campaign event to bring together all stakeholders who are working to make a change in data literacy. The event garnered 272 commitments from companies, education leaders, and policymakers that impact more than 3 million students, 25,000 teachers, and 500 school districts.

Dr. Karina Edmonds, senior vice president and head of Academies and for 麻豆原创, spoke to how data science education strengthens our communities and workforce: 鈥淲e absolutely have to get everyone at the table as the growth of data science jobs continues to skyrocket. We can鈥檛 afford to leave a great part of our society behind.鈥�

The for K-12 students over the next year. 麻豆原创 and the 49ers Foundation plan to launch a new data science course by next year that will include data modules focused on using football data to make data science more relevant to students. The two phased program will be comprised of virtual lessons for middle school students, along with a high school curriculum and field trips for grades 9-12.

We can each play a role with bringing this movement to life. Individuals can make their own personal commitment to help ensure that students have access to data literacy skills. Simple things like the following:

• Parents and adults must encourage children鈥檚 curiosity around data science and math. Projecting negative past experiences with math and science can influence children鈥檚 relationship with data science in the future. Remove negative self-talk — things like 鈥淚 hate math鈥� or 鈥淚鈥檓 not good with numbers鈥� — that are only hurting the curiosity we want youth to have.
• Contact decision-makers and initiate conversations in your community to find support for modern standards that reflect the data-centric world. This can include contacting the Department of Education, state legislators, or the local school board and district superintendent. These policymakers influence curriculum, course offerings, and teachers’ professional development, so engaging these leaders and getting them excited about data science can unlock the potential of new courses and better trained teachers.
• Get personally involved as a volunteer. Not all programs rely on volunteer support, but there is great importance in students hearing from experts in the topic being discussed. The 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility team has partners across North America that can host employees for speaking opportunities. Check out organizations like 听补苍诲听.

Principal Patrice Henry is detailing the support measures the school staff provides to ensure that the students have access to a safe, modern learning environment, where they can master twenty-first century skills for competitive careers in the digital economy. For schools everywhere, this has been an extremely difficult year.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot more trauma than we鈥檝e ever had in our history. We鈥檙e very mindful of that,鈥� Ms. Henry says. 鈥淲e just try to create a really strong community. We鈥檙e looking for all these indicators of student performance. If students are falling low in any of those categories, then we have to go into different tiers of support.鈥�

With the exception of the class bell, the school hallways are quiet today. The 550 students of BTECH are at home, learning remotely 鈥� a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted education worldwide. Despite the turmoil the pandemic has brought to New York City, Ms. Henry and the school鈥檚 staff remain steadfastly dedicated to the school鈥檚 mission of 鈥渃ombining academic excellence with technical aptitude, thus empowering students to be successful in our modern, information-based global economy and community.鈥�

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麻豆原创 Supports Early College High Schools

As New York City went into lockdown last spring, BTECH, like most schools, shifted to online learning overnight. To ensure that no student was shut out from an opportunity to learn, educators at BTECH continued to closely monitor student attendance and participation in daily, live, interactive class sessions.

One indicator of student performance quickly drew Ms. Henry鈥檚 attention: Many of the students lacked reliable devices to log on to virtual classrooms and keep up with their schoolwork. In fact, a large number of students were struggling to maintain connectivity with mobile phones or unreliable devices that lacked the necessary capabilities for advanced coursework in a technology-focused study program. Many families in the community had suffered a loss of income from job furloughs or layoffs and were not in a position financially to afford a new device for their student.

As an industry partner for BTECH, 麻豆原创 stepped up to provide each student with a Chromebook or tablet so the pandemic wouldn鈥檛 have to mean a lost year of education for any student. Katie Booth, 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility lead for North America, says, 鈥淚t is essential that during this time we support needs that are central to students鈥� learning. At 麻豆原创, we trust that school leaders know what is needed, so this year we鈥檝e partnered with them to find ways to meet those needs, even if they鈥檙e outside the normal scope of our support.鈥�

麻豆原创 supports four high schools with early college elements and a focus on project-based learning in North America, including聽; in Boston, Massachusetts;聽聽in Vancouver, British Columbia; and in Oakland, California. 麻豆原创 supports the schools through technical guidance and assistance, financial support, as well as student development opportunities through mentorship, 麻豆原创 office visits, and soft skills training.

Staying Connected at Oakland鈥檚 Skyline High School

In Oakland, California, the students and teachers at Skyline High School鈥檚 Computer Science and Technology Academy faced similar challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The school鈥檚 staff, who were forced to teach in an online learning format in mid-March, have had to navigate complex challenges that are social, educational, and technological.

鈥淭he top priority is to keep kids engaged and make sure no one slips through the cracks right now,鈥� says Mark Frey, director and multimedia teacher at Skyline High School鈥檚 Computer Science and Technology Academy. 鈥淲e have a pretty elaborate support system in place, with a counselor, case manager, and assistant principal. We want to keep kids connected, so they don鈥檛 drift off. We鈥檙e also trying to maintain a quality educational environment, where the kids are continuing to learn.鈥�

Through resourcefulness and some clever engineering, Frey and his fellow teachers have implemented a technology solution to keep students connected to the school鈥檚 computers to do their course work. Called , the free and open-source software from Apache ensures that students like Ravynne, a third-year student in the program with a passion for digital filmmaking, can connect to the school computers to work on projects for her multimedia class. She says the connection is stable enough that it has allowed her to gain valuable experience editing with Adobe Premiere Pro and that she is very grateful to the Skyline High School community for the opportunity to work with this powerful software suite.

Listen to the audio clips to hear Frey describe how Guacamole bridges the connectivity gap for students at Skyline High School鈥檚 Computer Science and Technology Academy.

Closing the Opportunity Gap

Adolescence is an extremely important time for both educational and social development, as underscored by the in its strategies to support high school students鈥� mental health during the pandemic. Traditionally, schools have provided a safe, secure environment for adolescents to explore new concepts and learn through interpersonal social interactions with a wide variety of people. With the school closures, cancellations of youth activities, and social distancing brought on by the pandemic, many students have had to develop a high level of resilience and self-reliance to get through this challenging time.

Some students, like Ravynne, find inspiration in role models at home. Ravynne says that her mother and sister motivate her to do her best at school and aim high for the future. Not surprisingly, this high schooler has developed sound habits that will prepare her for success. 鈥淭he first thing I like to do is just write down a list of things that I need to get done throughout the day. Even if I don鈥檛 finish everything, that鈥檚 fine, but I鈥檒l try to get at least half done. That鈥檚 mainly how I鈥檓 staying organized,鈥� Ravynne says. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 studying, I like to go to a quiet place. My room is fine, but sometimes I will go outside and sit in my backyard.鈥�

However, many students at the schools that make up the 麻豆原创 Early College High School initiative have less secure support structures or home environments that have been deeply affected by the pandemic. These students are especially vulnerable to pressures that can derail their studies and affect their opportunities.

Frey describes some of the challenges that teachers face in trying to engage students through distance learning in an educational environment shaped by COVID-19.

Graduates Face Tough Decisions in an Unusual Year

At BTECH, Ms. Henry looks forward to the day the students will return to their classrooms and the hum of activity will fill the halls once again. In a virtual open forum event called 鈥淎sk Me Anything,鈥� many of the questions she fielded from students reflected their desire to reconnect with peers and find fellowship in the school鈥檚 robust offering of afternoon activities.

She knows that many of the students are facing difficult decisions about whether to continue their education after graduation or go directly into the workforce to help ease the financial strain on their families. Referencing statistics for the 2020 graduating class, she says, 鈥淣inety percent of them went directly to college. I鈥檓 not sure that鈥檚 going to be the case this year. I鈥檓 actually curious myself about what our numbers will look like, given the challenges that we鈥檙e having as a nation and definitely as New Yorkers.鈥�

Listen to more episodes of In Focus.

This visionary program commissions public artwork that explores themes of purpose and seeks to inspire people through the power of emotion in order to bring about change in their actions and behaviors. So far, the program has addressed issues of gender equity, education, hunger and food waste, and the role of technology.

As an installation housed in a physical space, the gallery presents a new medium to experience the complementary powers of technology and art to elicit emotion and drive action. Artists who have created the pieces are recognized masters in their fields and use a range of expressive media to connect with their audiences at a personal level. Mixed digital media, visual arts, food, and textiles are just a part of their creative palette for telling the wider story about the role of technology in inspiring purposeful change in the world.

Each work of art distinctively reflects 麻豆原创鈥檚 commitment to its mission to help the world run better and improve people鈥檚 lives, in support of the (SDGs). The art pieces are inspired by stories of purpose-driven initiatives from the 麻豆原创 network of customers, partners, employees, and not-for-profit organizations.

As the聽聽and as聽Germany鈥檚 most valuable brand, 麻豆原创 is uniquely positioned to connect people with information about global challenges that demand action. The company focuses its efforts mainly on the circular economy, climate action, creating a skilled and inclusive workforce, equality for all, social and inclusive entrepreneurship, and mental health and well-being.

Global Month of Service at 麻豆原创

Gallery curators hope that the artworks 鈥� as well as the customer stories behind them 鈥� will inspire 麻豆原创 employees to take action during the Global Month of Service 2020.

Throughout October, 麻豆原创 employees are encouraged to participate in purpose-focused activities and online sessions, as well as volunteer their time and talents 鈥� in a virtual capacity this year 鈥� to not-for-profits or social enterprises around the world. Each week is dedicated to a different topic area: Supporting Equality for All; Building a Digitally Inclusive Workforce; Cultivating Climate Action; and Promoting Inclusive, Diverse, and Social Entrepreneurship. These topics are matched to pivotal works of art in the gallery, as described in the videos below.

麻豆原创 Gallery of Purpose Highlights

麻豆原创 Gallery of Purpose artwork is on display to the public at Hudson Yards, co-located with the 麻豆原创 offices in New York City, until the end of the year. Although the COVID-19 crisis has minimized foot traffic through Hudson Yards, you can still engage with the individual artworks and learn about the perspectives and inspiration of the artists online at the .

PowHERful | Artist: Markus Sebastiano

鈥淧owHERful鈥� celebrates gender equality by showing how when both men and women lift women up, the world moves forward. Drawing inspiration from an , the artist says that he wants people to feel inspired and hopeful that gender equality is moving in the right direction and 麻豆原创 is doing its part to advance the cause through its initiatives, which supports Gender Equality (SDG # 5).

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Respect, Reuse, Reclaim | Artist: Cara Marie Piazza

Created in collaboration with Goodr, 鈥淩espect, Reuse, Reclaim鈥� seeks to draw attention to the fight to end world hunger and bring about more in support of climate action. Made of repurposed food waste and textiles, the art exemplifies the circular economy as it commemorates marginalized people and those who go hungry. It is inspired by an about the fight to end world hunger by 2030, in support of Zero Hunger (SDG #2).

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The Great Equalizer | Artist: Liam Alexander

Through inspiring curiosity and empathy, 鈥溾�� affirms the importance of quality education in providing opportunity for people everywhere and building a digitally inclusive workforce. 麻豆原创鈥檚 shares this belief through its commitment to lifelong learning initiatives that create a in support of Quality Education (SDG 4) and Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)

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Sustaining Mother Earth | Artist: Markus Sebastiano

鈥淪ustaining Mother Earth鈥� calls awareness to the theme of responsible consumption and production, with the intent to inspire a transition to more resource efficient and sustainable economies. Working with repurposed materials, the artist took inspiration for this artwork from an about responsible procurement. 麻豆原创 is committed to cultivating climate action (SDG # 13) through the transition to more resource-efficient and sustainable economies to help turn the tide and reduce environmental harm.

https://youtu.be/ayHSL6hDI4M

Find your creative inspiration to take action for sustainable change.

Visit the 麻豆原创 Gallery of Purpose online at

Today, most youth are already digital natives who know their way around smartphones, social media, and the like. The Digital Youngsters Workshop was therefore designed to reinforce their routine use of these tools with knowledge of how digital content is created in the first place.

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One Team, One Goal

The team behind the workshop comprises dedicated employees of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, representatives from the digitally minded non-governmental organization (NGO) Junge T眉ftler, the 麻豆原创 Global Sponsorships team, and 麻豆原创 volunteers who were brought on board through the company鈥檚 corporate social responsibility (CSR) team. In putting the Digital Youngsters Workshop together, they combined their particular skills to come up with something truly new.

One thing that made sense was working with soccer metaphors. The jargon of the sport would be like a second language to TSG鈥檚 young players and a real advantage in teaching subjects that are largely technical in nature.

The event itself was geared toward ages nine to 16, with members of the TSG Hoffi fan club and the TSG Youngsters team. In keeping with an old German saying, it was going to take 11 friends 鈥� or three teams with that many players each, which was the limit for this edition of the workshop.

A Hat Trick of Learning Modules

Attendees had the chance to work on three learning modules based around terms taken straight from the soccer field.

The Teamwork module focused on cooperation and primarily involved coding together, particularly in the context of apps. By the end of the module, the players had put together a ready-to-use survey app. The second module, Tactics, was about using the workshop鈥檚 core topic 鈥� digital skills 鈥� as a key strategic instrument. Through coding, virtual reality, and the creation of 3D models, the participants then had opportunities to discuss the key subjects in this area. This was meant as a prelude to dreaming up and designing the 鈥渟tadium of the future.鈥� It also laid a visual foundation for the third module, Fun & Games. Here, the players used coding, Calliope mini microcontrollers, and ultrasonic sensors to create something entirely new: a wastebasket that let out a hearty cheer when someone made a shot with a piece of garbage.

麻豆原创 volunteers attended two training sessions at the beginning of August, then the three-day workshop took place on August 31 and September 2 and 4. It proved to be time well spent in terms of both learning and having fun for all those who attended, and the materials, technology, and tools used were big reasons why. The open-source software BigBlueButton, for example, presented the learning material in visually appealing ways while providing the necessary webcam support. It also made it possible to communicate with several virtual rooms at once, so event organizers did not have to worry about lulls in the action 鈥� every phase was sure to be dynamic.

A special highlight included two surprise guests: On day one, attendees were joined by Hoffenheim midfielder Franziska Harsch, then goalkeeper Philipp Pentke joined the closing festivities to answer their burning questions.

Match-Ready Thanks to a Jam-Packed Box

Several weeks before the workshop itself, training camp started for the participants. Each was sent a Digital Youngsters Workshop Box containing microcontrollers, other electronic components, corresponding arts and crafts materials, and even the right outfit for the event, a Digital Youngsters shirt.

According to the 麻豆原创 employees involved, things could hardly have gone better. They were very excited as the workshop grew nearer, especially for the 鈥渟tadium of the future鈥� component, and hoped to learn something along the way themselves. One volunteer had previously worked as a teacher and thus had a fairly good idea of what to expect.

Video Conferencing and One-on-One Coaching Over Chat

During the workshop, the young participants were open-minded and eager to learn. They were also happy to take advantage of the support offered by the mentors. Along with the main video conference, one-on-one chat assistance was available to make sure no one was left warming the bench. 鈥淎n attentive and engaged atmosphere, solid ideas, and very good results鈥�: As this summary indicates, the 麻豆原创 coaches were quite satisfied with the proceedings.

The coaches also emphasized just how well the children were already coping with the demands of the digitalized world, especially after attending the workshop. The initiators succeeded in achieving exactly what they had set out to do: show young people that instead of merely consuming content, they can create and shape it themselves using certain fundamental skills. Whether in the digital realm or out on the field, being part of the action isn鈥檛 just more fun; it plays an essential role in leading the life you want in an ever-changing world.

Fit for the Future

鈥淧articularly when it comes to getting ready for what鈥檚 ahead, innovative projects like this are highly relevant to society,鈥� pointed out Denni Strich, managing director of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, responsible for communication and media, sales and marketing, and digital performance at the club. 鈥淭he goal is to take a committed and systematic approach to encouraging young people and introducing them to this kind of material in fun ways. This extraordinary project was very ambitious from the start. Looking back, it really was extremely successful.鈥�

鈥淭he Digital Youngsters Workshop gave us the chance to get a glimpse of the future together,鈥� Pia Regine, in charge of programs for children, teenagers, and schools at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, added. 鈥淲e all want to prepare our kids for the world of tomorrow as best we can, of course, and I鈥檓 glad we succeeded in this very special endeavor. All the members of each squad had a lot of fun and learned plenty of new things in the process. We hope we can put something similar together for next year.鈥�

The Digital Youngsters Workshop demonstrated one thing in particular: Like a neat one-two from Kramari膰 to Baumgartner, Hoffenheim and 麻豆原创 managed to connect soccer to digital skills in a creative way that really resonated with all those involved. With that, it is safe to say that everyone would be up for a rematch next season!