Partnership for Innovation in Education Receives Two Best Buy Foundation Grants
CINCINNATI– (February 3, 2022)–Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE) was recently awarded two grants from the Best Buy Foundation, part of the Best Buy corporation which supports organizations that demonstrate a track record for building skill proficiency in technology through out-of-school time programs.
PIE received a $12,000 Community Engagement Grant from the Best Buy Foundation for its “Prepared to Fly: Launching DronePreneur Career Academy” program. This program focuses its efforts in extending its work with Cincinnati Public Schools and its STEM after school programming with partners including the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Best Buy Foundation also awarded PIE a $10,000 grant and named the organization an inaugural “Blue Gives Back Community Partner.” This grant supports PIE’s efforts to provide Cincinnati Public School students a first-ever opportunity to learn how to program using Python coding software, with an Information Technology certificate awarded after the program is completed. PIE is an exclusive RemotEDx provider of credential programming with access to over 1.6M Ohio students, and 75,000 STEM educators. This program allows students access to hands on experience in high-demand programming, cybersecurity and coding jobs.
“At Best Buy, we’re on a mission to improve tech equity among teens in disinvested communities, and we’re excited to have found a deeply aligned partner in the Partnership for Innovation in Education,” said Andrea Wood, Vice President of Social Impact at Best Buy. “Best Buy’s Blue Gives Back program connects passionate, community-centered organizations like Partnership for Innovation in Education with leading STEM-education and youth-development curriculum. We look forward to working together to ensure more young people have access to spaces where they can explore the latest technology, unearth possibilities for future career and education success, and meet life-changing mentors to guide them along the way.”
“We are honored to have received these generous grants from the Best Buy Foundation. We are committed to providing students real-life experiences in today’s leading technology careers. Our programs enable students to experience a variety of careers and how technology can be applied to their own future career path. We strive to empower and instill confidence in students in their abilities so they can begin to envision their own future success,” said Mary Welsh Schlueter, CEO and founder of PIE.
About PIE CaseLAB®
Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE) develops transformational educational and industry skill certification tools preparing the 21st century workforce for success in the global marketplace. With its CaseLab® program, PIE features first-ever career simulation and mentoring alliances with business, education and arts organizations, providing hands-on learning in the K-16 classroom. PIE is a 501c3 nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, awarded the GuideStar Nonprofit “Platinum” Ranking and is an Ohio School District Partner. For more information, visit http://stem.piemedia.org or follow @PIE_Innovation on Twitter.