Can mobile app contests and hackathons with technologists turn around the U.S. educational crisis? What about interactive games or e-mentoring? Or hands-on educational programs that let students do things like clean up simulated oil spills or extract DNA from bananas? AT&T is betting that some of these approaches – along with a quarter –billion-dollars of financial support – could help more students graduate from high school prepared for careers and college.
Today, AT&T will expand its Aspire educational initiative by announcing a $250 million commitment to focus on high school success leading to college and career readiness. AT&T Aspire will build on that commitment by using technology to connect with students in new ways, such as with interactive games, Web-based content and social media. The company will also tap the innovation engine of the AT&T Foundry to look for fresh or atypical approaches to educational obstacles. Finally, AT&T Aspire will provide mentoring, internships and other voluntary efforts that involve many of AT&T’s approximately 260,000 employees.
