All Entries Tagged With: "Community"
Middle School STEM Expo to Connect Industry with 125 Girls from 4 RI Schools
WHEN: Friday, November 4, 2015 – 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
WHERE: The Rhode Island STEAM Center at Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave, Providence, RI 02908
Opening Remarks: Student Union Ballroom
Workshops: To take place throughout campus
WHAT: Tech Collective’s STEM in the Middle career expo aims to raise awareness and participation in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields at the middle school level. Students will attend three hands-on interactive STEM workshops throughout the morning. The workshops are designed and facilitated by female industry professionals, RIC faculty and high school girls (new this year!) from Wm. Davies Career and Technical High School (Lincoln) and North Kingstown High School. Workshop topics include: computer science, cosmology, biotechnology, engineering, environmental science and engineering, marine science, wearable technology and laser printing.
WHO: STEM in the Middle will welcome an expected total of 125 students and 9 educators from 4 Rhode Island middle schools: Sophia Academy (Providence, RI), Woonsocket Middle School(Woonsocket, RI), Paul Cuffee Middle School (Providence, RI) and Calcutt Middle School(Central Falls, RI).
Participating companies and organizations include: Amgen, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Dassault Systemes Simulia, Ocean Exploration Trust (URI), NASA, Fidelity Investments, Hasbro, RI State Police, TEALs, and RI College. New this year – two of the hands-on sessions will be facilitated by high school girls and not industry professionals
STEM in the Middle is funded through a Real Jobs Rhode Island grant and is sponsored byIBM and Dassault Systemes Simulia and the STEAM Center at RI College.
WHY: Educators and industry commonly agree that students need to be exposed to STEM awareness and engagement at a young age. Middle school age is often recognized as a turning point, where adolescence begins and the pressures of peers and education increase. Students – particularly girls – can shy away from STEM due to gender stereotypes or a lack of awareness and perceived opportunities. STEM in the Middle’s mission is to erase these barriers through raising awareness and increasing opportunities for and participation of young women in the sciences.
Current and Future State of Marine Renewable Energy in MA: SNEEF Program Nov. 10
Fall River, MA– “The current and Future State of Marine Renewable Energy” will be the topic at the next Southern New England Entrepreneurs Forum (SNEEF) on Thursday, November 10, 5:30 p.m., UMass Dartmouth Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, 151 Martine Street, Fall River.
John Miller, Executive Director of the Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MREC), will discuss the importance of developing clean, renewable energy from the ocean waters of New England how that will drive innovation and creation of jobs in the Commonwealth.
MREC is collaborating with local communities to develop tidal power test sites. Working with Edgartown and several universities, MREC is developing a tidal power test site in the waters between Martha’s Vineyard and Muskeget Island, and another test site is being set up in the Cape Cod Canal. Developers need a place to test their turbines, but it is expensive to do so in open water offshore. These test sites can offer a convenient and cost-effective testing alternative. MREC is a nonprofit dedicated to developing ocean renewable energy.
The potential for tidal power is great, but the engineering and economics have a long way to go, especially in the U.S. Massachusetts has a cluster of world class marine science and engineering organizations, many of them located on the Cape, that have set the standard for global ocean innovation.
Cost is $20 in advance, $25 at the door, including a dinner. Become an annual SNEEF member for only $75 and attend free. The SNEEF program is open to the public.
Rhode Island Foundation accepting applications for $300,000 Genius Grants
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Foundation is accepting applications for $300,000 grants to develop, test and implement innovative ideas that have the potential to dramatically move Rhode Island forward. The 2017 Innovation Fellowship program focuses on proposals that increase or improve civic engagement.
“We are marking our 100th anniversary with a year-long celebration of community. As we come to the end of our centennial, we could think of no better tribute than to encourage Rhode Islanders to think creatively about what that means to them,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “With this targeted emphasis, we hope to engage and inspire people to become agents of change and progress.”
This is the sixth consecutive year that the Foundation has offered the fellowships, which are made possible through the vision and generosity of philanthropists Letitia and John Carter.
“By encouraging bold thinkers to bring their best ideas to life, Letitia and John Carter bolster our state’s reputation as a home of creativity and resourcefulness,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO.
Up to two recipients will receive up to $100,000 a year for three years. Preference will be given to proposals with the potential to generate the greatest good for the greatest number of Rhode Islanders, a small idea that has the promise to be built to scale or new approaches to long-standing challenges.
“Letitia and I believe deeply in the capacity of everyday Rhode Islanders to solve the issues that affect our state. We are committed to making our state a better place to live and hope the public is inspired to submit proposals with the potential to lead the way,” said John Carter.
The Foundation will also give priority to applications that propose a new, novel or re-energized approach that has not been tried meaningfully in Rhode Island, the unique fit of the fellowship for the idea and the idea’s potential to generate excitement within a broader community and leverage resources from other sources.
Only individuals may apply. Although applicants do not have to be residents of Rhode Island when they apply, they must commit to living in Rhode Island during the term of their fellowship. All the eligibility requirements are posted on the Foundation’s website at rifoundation.org.
The deadline to apply is Fri., Dec. 16. The initial, one-page application asks applicants to summarize their idea in no more than 150 words and to describe how it would promote civic engagement. An informational session for potential applicants is scheduled for Mon., Nov. 14.
Steinberg will chair the selection committee. The other members are Elan Babchuk, director of innovation at Clal – The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership; Central Falls School Supt. Victor Capellan, Theresa Moore, president of T-Time Productions; Aidan Petrie, co-founder and chief innovation officer at Ximedica; Rhode Island College President Frank Sánchez, Dan Shedd, president of Taylor Box Company; and Leslie Taito, senior vice president of corporate operations at Hope Global.
In February 2017, the selection panel will ask a group of semi-finalists to submit a more detailed application and a short video. The Foundation expects to announce the winners in April.
The five previous rounds of fellowships generated more than 1,450 applications. The 2016 recipient is Ray Two Hawks Watson.
Watson is boosting the state’s tourism industry and improving social cohesion by capitalizing on Rhode Island’s cultural heritage, history and diversity through his Providence Cultural Equity Initiative.
The other previous recipients are Amy Bernhardt, David Dadekian, Adrienne Gagnon, John Haley, Daniel Kamil and Emily Steffian, Soren Ryherd, Dr. Lynn Taylor and Allan Tear.
The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. In 2015, the Foundation awarded $41.5 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.
United Way Presents Awards, Honoring Local Champions for Efforts on Behalf of Rhode Island Children and Helping to Improve our Communities
Providence, R.I. (October 27, 2016) Guided by the principle that addressing the issues that impact our communities and creating positive, lasting change in the lives of others is best accomplished by working together, United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI) recently presented awards to four local champions, honoring their selfless contributions to make Rhode Island a better place to live.
The awards were presented during UWRI’s 90th Annual Celebration, and this year’s honorees are:
- 2016 Corporate Partner Award: Hasbro, Inc.
- Young Leader Spark! Award: Meghan Grady, COO, YWCA of Rhode Island
- Dante Mollo Labor Award: Valerie Staples, Children’s Fund Coordinator, NEARI
- John H. Chafee Lifetime Service Award: Todd Flaherty, (retired) President & CEO, College Crusade
“Nothing that United Way has been able to accomplish would be possible without the help and support of so many Rhode Islanders, from all walks of life, working together with the shared goal of strengthening our communities,” said Anthony Maione, President and CEO, United Way of Rhode Island. “Supporting the development and growth of children—our leaders of tomorrow—remains a primary focus and each of this year’s honorees have committed themselves to this work, setting an example we all can follow.”
In honor of their longstanding contributions to UWRI and deep commitment to children, Anthony Maione presented the 2016 Corporate Partnership Award to Hasbro, Inc. The award was accepted on the company’s behalf by EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, Dolph Johnson.
A dedicated partner of UWRI’s work and the signature Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative, which replaces summer learning loss with skills gains in math and reading for students by engaging them in active learning opportunities during the summer months, Hasbro, Inc.’s commitment to improving the lives of others knows no bounds. Hasbro, Inc. employees are active volunteers in a variety of UWRI initiatives, contribute thoughts and ideas to advance programs, and lend their knowledge of children’s needs in our state. The company also coordinates a highly-successful workplace giving campaign each year.
The second award, the Young Leader Spark! Award, was given to a member of UWRI’s Young Leaders Circle (YLC) in recognition of their efforts to spark change in Rhode Island. Receiving the award was Meghan Grady, Chief Operating Officer of YWCA Rhode Island. It was presented by Jocelyn Kelly, Vice Chair of the Young Leaders Circle. Meghan is a founding member of the YLC and has been instrumental in its growth to become the largest network of service-minded young leaders in the state. At YWCA, Meghan oversees a multitude of programs that encourage young Rhode Island women further their education and pursue their dreams, stressing that they can accomplish anything they put their minds to.
The Dante Mollo Labor Award recognizes the strong partnership between the Labor community and UWRI. Presented by Valarie Lawson of the East Providence Education Association, this year’s recipient is Valerie Staples, Children’s Fund Coordinator for the National Education Association of RI. For more than 25-years, Valerie has worked with local teachers and schools to help some of Rhode Island’s neediest students and their families on a day-to-day basis. She also oversees the Gingerbread Express, which spreads the joy of the holidays to more than 2,000 at-risk children each year by granting their clothing and gift wishes.
The John H. Chafee Lifetime Service Award, presented by Zechariah Chafee, son of late Rhode Island Senator John H. Chafee, was awarded to Todd Flaherty, who retired in June as President and CEO of the College Crusade of Rhode Island and a distinguished career of educational leadership at state, local and national levels. Having dedicated his life to educating youth, Todd’s career touched the lives of tens of thousands of students. He is a former high school principal in Narragansett and North Carolina, previous Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Coventry, and served as Senior Policy Advisor for the National High School Center in Washington, D.C. After joining College Crusade in 2009, Todd oversaw the growth of offered programs to more than 60 available today in 30 local high schools, and helped improve the high school graduation rate of College Crusade participants to 81 percent, which exceeds the state’s overall graduation rate across all Rhode Island districts.
About United Way of Rhode Island
United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI) has been working to improve the quality of life in Rhode Island for nearly 90 years. Together with its partners, UWRI is changing lives and strengthening our communities by investing in proven programs that work over the short-term, and are scalable over the long-term. For more information, visit www.LIVEUNITEDri.org.
