Back to school: Microsoft stands up for education

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As we watch our Bay Area kids head back to school this fall, we are reminded of how important it is for all of us to support local teachers, students and schools – especially those most in need. So far this year, Microsoft Silicon Valley (MSV) has donated more than $3 million in software and monetary grants to educational organizations and institutions. We are also:

  • Prepping kids for STEM: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) proficiency is the key to our youths’ success in the job market of tomorrow. Microsoft Silicon Valley supports local programs, including ALearn, The Tech Museum’s Family Math & Engineering Program, and the Hispanic Youth Institute, which equip children and teens with the skills to pursue advanced careers.

Additionally, the Microsoft IT Academy provides students with the technology skills they need to be successful academically and professionally later in life. The Microsoft IT Academy Program is a college- and career-ready education program available to all accredited academic institutions, designed to provide students with the skills to compete in today’s rapidly evolving workplace.

We also believe in calling on the expertise of diverse voices to continue finding solutions for helping students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, achieve STEM fluency. In July, we hosted key business leaders at the 2012 Silicon Valley STEM Summit to promote and discuss STEM education in the Valley.

  • Rewarding innovative thinking: The world’s premier student tech competition, theMicrosoft Imagine Cup 2013, is now open for registration to students 16 years and older. The Imagine Cup recognizes the inspiration, innovation and imagination used by students to address some of the world’s toughest problems. What’s so valuable about this competition is that it rewards not just technical or academic excellence, but the creative problem solving so crucial in an innovation-based marketplace. This year’s program sets the stage for an even broader spectrum of student submissions and offers $300,000 in prize money, more than double 2012’s offerings.
  • Offering academic tools and supplies: Locally, we’ve participated in the Family Giving Tree’s Backpack Drive, which gathers backpacks containing basic school supplies for low-income students in the Bay Area. Microsoft employees donated twice as many backpacks as they did last year, and contribute thousands in cash donations annually – which translates into hundreds more backpacks. Microsoft Corporation doubles the impact of these donations by matching employee contributions.

Microsoft also manages several Partners in Learning programs that celebrate innovative educators and equip teachers to prepare students with the skills necessary to thrive in the 21st-century job market. We host national and regional events throughout the year that recognize academic leaders, culminating in our annual Partners in Learning Global Forum.

  • Creating products that support success: Many Microsoft education solutions play a role in helping students achieve their academic bests.  Microsoft Office 365 for education gives academic institutions a familiar Microsoft Office desktop suite with online versions of next-generation communications and collaboration services. Educators, staff, and students get anywhere access to email and calendars, Office Web Apps, video and online meetings, and document-sharing. Other examples include Office 2010, which transforms a computer into an essential tool for success, and Kinect  in the classroom, which has been shown to deepen student engagement and enhance instruction.

Join us in ensuring that our community’s students have all the support they need to reach their potential during the 2012-2013 school year and beyond.