Electronic Arts Recognizes Female Ambassadors and their Class from KIPP Academy during Women’s History Month

Last Friday, EVERFI traveled to San Francisco to celebrate a local school’s completion of their digital education initiative Play to Learn, which built a foundation and curiosity in young learners. Play to Learn exposes students to STEAM skills and ignites their enthusiasm around careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

Students from KIPP Bayview, led by their ambassadors Aliyah Hunter and Semaya Katagawa, joined employees at EA for a tour of the company’s headquarters and shared how Play to Learn expanded their view of STEAM careers.

“In today’s economy it is imperative for us to harness the full potential of our workforce so students, regardless of their gender or socioeconomic background, can have the opportunity use their skills in science, arts and mathematics to advance technology,” said Matt Bilbey, COO of EA’s Worldwide Studios. “We are proud to bring this critical program to students in an engaging, game-oriented environment so all students, especially those not prominently represented in the technology sector, can envision themselves in this field.”

Of the nearly 3.8 million 9th graders in the United States, only 6 percent are expected to choose a STEM-focused degree in college, according to the National Science Board. However, 80% of jobs in the next decade will require STEAM skills. Equally as striking women held only 26 percent of computing jobs in 2016, according to the National Center for Women & Information Technology. The Play to Learn partnership with EverFi highlights EA’s commitment to introducing students to future career opportunities in the gaming industry focused on STEAM.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the impact of our partnership with Electronic Arts and grateful for their investment in this initiative to provide all young people with concrete skills needed for the jobs of the future,” said Jon Chapman, EVERFI Co-founder & President of Global Partnerships. “It is not enough for students to simply have the math or science backgrounds, students need to apply creative thinking to spark the innovation needed to solve the challenges of the 21st century. Together, through Play to Learn, we are reimagining how young people, especially young women, prepare and pursue STEAM careers.”