NCWIT to Recognize 20 OKLAHOMA High School Women for Computing Achievements

OKLAHOMA CITY - March 7, 2019 - PRLog -- As part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) will recognize 20 Oklahoma high school women for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology through the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. The award event will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in downtown Oklahoma City.

The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing is a program of the National Center for Women & Information Technology, a coalition of over 650 universities, corporations and organizations dedicated to increasing the meaningful participation of women in computing. The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing was created to acknowledge the computing aspirations of young women, introduce them to leadership opportunities in the field, and generate visibility for women's participation in computing-related pursuits. Award-winners have been selected for their outstanding aptitude and interest in computing and desire to pursue computing-related studies of occupations.

The 2019 Oklahoma affiliate awardees are (with high school and hometown):

• Ashtynn Caldwell, Honorable Mention – Blanchard High School – Blanchard
• Clara Carter, Honorable Mention – Kiefer High School – Jenks
• Hope Chambers, Winner – homeschooled/concurrently enrolled at Cameron University – Lawton
• Kallie Chapman, Honorable Mention – Coalgate High School – Coalgate
• JayLynn Cross, Winner - Coweta High School – Broken Arrow
• Emily Dangott, Honorable Mention – Kiefer High School – Glenpool
• Kathryn Factor, Honorable Mention – Kiefer High School – Sapulpa
• Grace Green, Honorable Mention – Moore High School – Moore
• Kaysi Hursey, Winner – Moore High School – Moore
• Raelin Lane, Winner – Moore High School – Moore
• Madeline Loyd, Honorable Mention – Union High School – Tulsa
• Alissa Morgan, Winner – Noble High School – Lexington
• Anna Mullenax, Winner – Tulsa School of Arts & Sciences – Tulsa
• Caitlin Nichols, Honorable Mention – Santa Fe High School – Edmond
• Kandyce Reynolds, Winner – Gracemont High School – Gracemont
• Kira Riggs, Winner – Norman High School/concurrently enrolled at Moore Norman Technology Center – Norman
• Bria Smith, Winner – Mount St. Mary High School – Oklahoma City
• Catherine Strevett, Winner – Noble High School – Slaughterville
• Madison Taylor, Honorable Mention – Coalgate High School – Coalgate
• Katie Vu, Honorable Mention – Jenks High School – Tulsa

"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. "This award allows us recognize and encourage talent that might otherwise be overlooked."

The Oklahoma affiliate of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing is a collaborative effort by dedicated volunteers from Oklahoma Engineering Foundation, the University of Central Oklahoma, the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics, Edmond Public Schools and Tulsa Public Schools.

The NCWIT Aspirations in Computing program is supported by lifetime sponsor Apple, and national sponsors AT&T, Bank of America, Bloomberg, Google, HP Enterprise, Intel, Qualcomm and Microsoft with additional support from Motorola Solutions Foundation, Northrop Grumman and Symantec.

About NCWIT

NCWIT is the National Center for Women & Information Technology, a non-profit coalition of over 450 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits working to improve U.S. innovation, competitiveness, and workforce sustainability by increasing women's participation in IT. NCWIT's work spans K-12 and higher education through industry and academic careers. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.