Students at the 2016 Aspirations in Computing Awards race to build the tallest tower out of dried spaghetti, a marshmallow, a strip of masking tape and string.
As part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and University of New Hampshire at Manchester will recognize 18 high school students and one educator for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology. The award event will be held at UNH Manchester on Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will feature a keynote address by Middlebury College Computer Science Professor Amy Briggs. There will also be a speaker panel consisting of participants from Autodesk, NCWIT and UNH Manchester.
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 Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont area 2017 winners are:
- Terryn Brunelle (NH), Pelham High School
- Madeline Chairvolotti (VT), Home School, Grand Isle
- Sonya DeLorie (NH), Bow High School
- Dairan Douglass (VT), Green Mountain Technology and Career Center, Honorable Mention
- Sarah Dunbar (NH), Hanover High School
- Sky Eno (NH), Pinkerton Academy
- Kimberly Guerrero (NH), Nashua High School North
- Brin Harper (NH), Academy for Science and Design
- Skye Hommel (NH), Exeter High School, Honorable Mention
- Gloria Kelley (ME), Mount Desert Island High School
- Meera Kurup (NH), Bishop Guertin
- Yajie Lou (NH), Hanover High School, Honorable Mention
- Jillian MacGregor (NH), Nashua High School
- Shannon McInnis (NH), Nashua High School South
- Olivia Ross (NH), Phillips Exeter Academy
- Emily Starr (ME), Oxford Hills Technical School
- Margaret Vaillancourt (NH), Pinkerton Academy
- Julia Zhang (NH), Nashua High School South, Honorable Mention
- Lorna Spargo (NH), Nashua High School South, Educator Award Winner
“This is such an impressive group of young women, and we are honored to be recognizing their achievements," said Emily Kerr, STEM Discovery Lab coordinator at UNH Manchester. “Not only have they already accomplished so much in the field of computing, they have also been incredible leaders and role models in their schools, clubs and other organizations.”
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.
The Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont affiliate of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing is a collaborative effort by dedicated volunteers from partner organizations and industry professionals.
