Today’s youth face an opportunity divide–a gap between those who have access to the skills and training they need to be successful, and those who do not. With more than 75 million unemployed youth around the world, the future of our youth and of our global economy depends on closing this divide.
YouthSpark is Microsoft’s global initiative to empower 300 million youth over three years. Since September 2012, YouthSpark programs have created new opportunities for more than 227 million young people in over 100 countries around the world. As a part of this initiative, Microsoft partnered with Silicon Valley Community Foundation this winter to launch an open grant round focused on reinforcing a STEM pipeline from cradle to career. The grant round sought non-profit partners addressing early childhood literacy, STEM education in middle school, digital literacy and coding, and youth entrepreneurship.
Per recent reports by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Silicon Valley Community Foundation, 3rd grade and 8th grade mark crucial milestones for educational success. Put bluntly, a child that is not reading proficiently by 3rd grade or studying algebra by 8th grade is significantly less likely to enter and finish college; missing these milestones is also a key indicator for lower future earning potential.
In Silicon Valley, the statistics are bleak: only 59% of 3rd graders in Silicon Valley read proficiently, and only 54% of 8th graders scored proficient in algebra (www.svcip.com). In addition to these crucial educational building blocks, success in the 21st century requires digital literacy and an understanding of finance and the business world. Once a student makes it to college, financial literacy serves as a key skill for successful college completion and a smooth transition to the workplace, and digital literacy serves as a gateway for STEM careers and civic engagement with the larger world.
Microsoft and Silicon Valley Community Foundation received nearly 100 very strong applications for this grant round, which indicates the innovation and dedication of non-profits based in the region. This blog series will highlight the incredible work of our non-profit partners, and we thank them for the hard work they do every day to make Silicon Valley stronger, smarter, and more equitable.
- Early Literacy:
- STEM Education:
- Entrepreneurship: