Raimondo to Participate in CS4RI Summit 2016
Over 1,500 students, faculty, and business leaders from across the state coming together to continue to advance computer science learning in RI
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Building off last week’s visit from U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. to Rhode Island highlighting our state’s leadership on computer science, the Governor will deliver remarks at the CS4RI Summit hosted by the RI Office of Innovation. Earlier this year, Raimondo launched CS4RI, positioning the state to lead with one of the most comprehensive computer sciences initiatives in the country. Rhode Island is on track to put computer science in every public school by December 2017 to ensure that every student, at every level, has access to this critical skill as early as kindergarten.
«By 2022 – just a few years from now – the Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training projects there will be more than 4,000 openings in computer & math jobs. Just like reading & writing, computer science is the new essential skill,» said Governor Gina M. Raimondo. «With CS4RI, we are ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn this skill and to take computer science classes in every school, as early as kindergarten. I want our kids to need be creators in the digital economy, not just consumers of technology – and that’s exactly what this summit is all about.»
The CS4RI Summit will bring together middle school, high school, and college students, industry professionals, training providers, and community members to showcase projects, research, education, and career opportunities related to computer science and technology. Exhibitors will include representatives from business and industry as well as from colleges and universities and K – 12 schools.
«Since the University has been playing a major role in building computer science skills in the state’s high schools, we are particularly excited about hosting this conference at the Ryan Center in collaboration with Gov. Raimondo,» said URI President David M. Dooley. «URI is a primary partner in the governor’s new CS4RI initiative through its two grants from the National Science Foundation, which total more than $3 million for projects to help URI faculty members work with the state’s secondary schools to develop computer science courses. The University community offers a warm welcome to all of our middle and high school scholars, faculty and business leaders, as they work together to build a strong knowledge economy for Rhode Island.»
«At Citizens Bank, we invest in programs that make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work,» said Barbara Cottam, RI Market Executive at Citizens Bank. «Citizens is proud to partner on CS4RI because we recognize that computer science knowledge is a critical skill that will make our students better candidates for our future workforce.»