2011 NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing

March 2011

As part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and the University of Colorado, the Colorado School of Mines and the Colorado Coalition for Gender & IT recognized 26 Colorado high-school women for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology. These young women were Colorado Affiliate winners of the 2011 NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing, which recognizes high school women for their outstanding aptitude and interest in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history and plans for post-secondary education. An award celebration was held recently at the University of Colorado Boulder.

The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing is a national competition with regional affiliates, created to encourage the computing aspirations of young women, introduce them to leadership opportunities in the field and generate visibility for women's participation in technology fields. The award is sponsored at the national level by Bank of America, and at the regional affiliate level by Microsoft, Google and Motorola.

The following are the Colorado Affiliate winners for 2011:

Jennifer Anderson Fairview High School, Boulder Kelsea Anderson Pagosa Springs High School, Pagosa Springs Taylor Andrews Monarch High School, Louisville Madison Bennett Thomas Jefferson High School, Denver Nicole Blake Thomas Jefferson High School, Denver Sara Boatman Colorado Virtual Academy, Northglenn Erinn Cash Prairie View High School, Henderson Shivani Chauhan Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch Danica Cox Swink Jr.-Sr. High School, Swink Molly Echave Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction Nicole Fry Windsor High School, Windsor Sabrina Garcia Antonito High School, Antonito Ellyn Green Heritage High School, Littleton Alyssa Hamlet Chaparral High School, Parker Kristen Kagiyama Green Mountain High School, Lakewood Hannah Klamerus Pine Creek High School, Colorado Springs Elizabeth Mahon Poudre High School, Fort Collins Monica Mishra Peak to Peak Charter School, Lafayette Mahek Modi Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch Kristen Nelson Overland High School, Aurora Melodi Oliver Skyline High School, Longmont Tanya Petach Fairview High School, Boulder Tanya Schulz Skyline High School, Longmont Hannah Thomas Central High School, Grand Junction Jannine Vela Frederick High School, Frederick Hannah Weidman Centaurus High School, Lafayette

The Colorado Affiliate of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing was led by Professor Kenneth Anderson of the University of Colorado Boulder; Cyndi Rader, senior lecturer at the Colorado School of Mines; and Mary Ann Roe, co-director of the Colorado Coalition for Gender & IT. The 2011 awards ceremony was made possible by generous donations from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder and the Computer Science and Mathematics Division of the Colorado School of Mines.

NCWIT is a non-profit coalition of 250 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits working to increase women's participation in IT and computing. NCWIT helps organizations recruit, retain, and advance women from K-12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers; provides statistics, research, and best practices; and serves as a national voice of awareness and advocacy for the increased participation of girls and women in IT and computing.