Initiatives

Spearheading a variety of Computer Science education and Maker initiatives to benefit students and teachers.

Teacher Training

The Foundation is supporting various teacher training initiatives, helping more than 2100 elementary and secondary school teachers become trained in CS, and working with partners such as:

Coding, Hackathons & Making

Since 2015, we’ve encouraged students in under-represented communities to explore, create, collaborate, invent, code, and make. We support bootcamps, hackathons and making workshops for students to gain computer science (CS) and making skills and partners: American Indian Science and Engineering Society, CodeNow, Computer Technologies Program, Digital Nest, Girl Develop It, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Level Playing Field Institute, Tech Kids Unlimited, Texas Girls Collaborative Project, and Yes We Code.

CrossRoads

This signature event brings thought leaders together to explore ideas on increasing access to high quality education in computer science, coding and making, with a particular focus on equity and inclusion. Attendees share the same goals: how to best use effective education as a driver for greater diversity, faster economic growth and better preparation for 21st century careers. #InfyXRoads.

CrossRoads 2017
CrossRoads 2017 Videos

To learn about Randy Lynn's @RandyInMS experience as a participant at CrossRoads 2017, read his blog here.

Read a blog from Kirsten Sundell to learn what South Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi are doing policy-wise for CS Education.

Our 3rd Annual CrossRoads Conference

CrossRoads 2016 Videos
CrossRoads 2016
CrossRoads 2015

Infy Ed Chats

Bi-weekly tweet chats where guest hosts engage the Twitterverse and invite dialogue, share insights, and answer questions on a given topic. Every second Monday of the month we’ll discuss a CSed-related topic, every fourth Monday of the month Maker Education Initiative-related.

Schedule for 2017:

  • January 9 & 23
  • February 13 & 27
  • March 13 & 27
  • April 10 & 24
  • May 8 & 22
  • June 12 & 26
  • July 10 & 24
  • Aug 14 & 28
  • Sept 11 & 25
  • Oct 9 & 23
  • Nov 13
  • Dec 11

Archived Infy Ed Chats can be found here.

Follow the chats at #InfyEdChat.

Infy Maker Awards

If our future is invented by those who can make, how might we help individuals acquire the foundational skill of Making? Key skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity are experiential in nature and can be developed over the course of projects and making.

Through the Infy Maker Awards program, we support today’s makers at schools and in communities, encouraging them to become our next generation of inventors. This #InfyMakers awards program, launched in June 2015 to celebrate the White House’s “National Week of Making”, recognizes the Maker Movement and inventors.

#WhyIMake

We launched the #WhyIMake video campaign to create a platform for makers to tell their own stories, serving both as role models and inspiration for others. Short videos showcase stories from prominent makers and invite others to share their own #WhyIMake stories on various social channels.

Our newest #WhyIMake video features actor, author and woodworker Nick Offerman discussing what Making means to him. Previous episodes feature master maker Adam Savage, co-host and executive producer of MythBuster and Atari founder Nolan Bushnell and his family discussing what Making means to them.

To watch these videos or share your own stories, visit www.WhyIMake.org