Tag: 3BL

Edison International is leading the transition to a clean energy future. Take a look below to see how we’re putting these words into action this Earth Day and every day.

All-Electric Buildings: Clean Energy’s Next Frontier
SCE’s plan to replace gas-powered appliances can help save the planet – and lower your bill.

Residential and commercial buildings generate significant annual greenhouse gas emissions globally, and their carbon footprint is growing. In California, they’re responsible for roughly 14% of emissions; that number increases to 25% when considering electricity use in homes and businesses. READ MORE

Transportation Electrification Gains Momentum
Edison International and SCE outline plans to seize the “huge opportunity” of preparing the grid for exponential EV growth.

When record-high temperatures brought California’s electric grid to the brink of rotating power outages last September, skeptics of the state’s aggressive efforts to promote the widespread adoption of electric vehicles had a field day. READ MORE

Going Green for St. Patrick’s Day
SCE offers tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint while celebrating the Irish icon.

St. Patrick’s Day is an ideal time to begin, renew or revive your commitment to clean energy and reducing your carbon footprint. With spring just days away, you can volunteer to plant trees or clean up local rivers, lakes and beaches to help reduce pollution. You may even find a lucky shamrock along the way. READ MORE

For more stories on Clean Energy, visit ENERGIZED by Edison.
For more about Edison International’s commitment to a clean energy future, visit edison.com/clean-energy.
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The Transformational Tech series highlights Cisco’s nonprofit partners that use technology to help transform the lives of individuals and communities. Toward Cisco’s vision of an inclusive future for all, Cisco is partnering with Trickle Up to help them leverage technology to increase financial inclusion, independence, economic security, and resilience for women living in poverty.

This blog was written by Nathalie Laidler-Kylander, President of Trickle Up. She brings over 30 years of multi-sector experience, including 18 years in international development. Nathalie holds a BS in Biochemistry from Imperial College at London University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a PhD from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Trickle Up partners with women in extreme poverty to build economic opportunity and drive inclusion. Driven by their talents and dreams, equipped with new skills and assets, and supported through coaching and mentoring, women in our programs start micro-enterprises, build confidence, and save money for the future. They forge their own resilient pathways out of extreme poverty for themselves, their families, and their communities, breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

An estimated 650 million people live in extreme poverty in the world today. Many of them are women facing multiple forms of vulnerability, discrimination, and exclusion. But when women have livelihoods and resources, with the ability to make decisions over those resources, they invest in three things: nutrition, education, and health. Investing in women and their economic inclusion is one of the best ways to interrupt intergenerational poverty.

The Importance of Coaching

Our programs build on the Graduation Approach and offer participants an opportunity to join savings groups with women from their communities as well as access to training, coaching, and seed capital to build sustainable livelihoods. Individual and group coaching is one of the most important elements of our work. It enables us to accompany women as they build their confidence and resilience and create their own sustainable pathways out of poverty.

In our experience, the best coaches are women who are from the same communities that we serve. These community coaches understand the context, experience, vulnerabilities, and challenges facing our participants, They are ideally positioned to share the technical content knowledge the community can’t always access.

That’s where our tablet based Echb’eenink app (meaning “to accompany” in a local Mayan language) comes in. Pre-loaded with audio-visual content, including animated videos in local languages, it enables coaches to deliver important coaching modules to support participants as they build knowledge and confidence. New modules include coaching on gender-based violence, climate change, effective savings groups, and sexual and reproductive health.

Last time I was in Guatemala, I remember how everyone in the community gathered round to see the animated educational videos on the tablet. The children were so excited to watch them with their mothers. And the content from the coaching app sparked important discussion between the community coach and participants.

Trickle Up has benefited from Cisco Foundation’s generous funding which has enabled us to add four new important coaching modules and to translate Echb’eenink into two additional indigenous languages in Mexico (Tzotzil and Mixtec). We are in the process of training 50 community coaches in Mexico and Guatemala on how to effectively use the coaching app and they in turn, will serve over 8,000 women. Our goal is to expand the use of Echb’eenink to all our coaches and participants worldwide, modifying and contextualizing modules and translating them into local and indigenous languages. Not only will this empower and build the capacity of our community coaches, but it also creates consistent and high-quality coaching content that is most relevant for our participants. As we partner with other organizations and scale our work, Echb’eenink will be a key tool helping us coach our partner’s coaches. We will be able to leverage existing modules and content and adapt, contextualize, and translate them to meet the needs of the populations we serve.

Addressing the Gender Digital Divide

The gap in access to digital technology between men and women is substantial. Globally, an estimated 63 percent of women have access to the internet compared to 69 percent of men. For rural women in extreme poverty, the population Trickle Up serves, less than 25 percent are connected. Echb’eenink is part of a portfolio of digital tools and strategies that Trickle Up is developing and implementing to address the lack of digital access and increase both the effectiveness and efficiency of our program delivery.

In India, through our MPOWERED program, we train participants on digital skills and literacy, empowering community coaches and participants with smart phones and an app (the Package of Practice) that supports participants as they build knowledge and skills to enhance their livelihoods. Some of the women I met a few months ago have really leveraged their digital access and new abilities and have started ordering products to be delivered directly to them through digital marketplaces. They also love taking selfies and staying in touch with their friends and family through WhatsApp.

In Kamwenge Uganda, Trickle Up has also been working to increase rural women’s digital connectivity among refugee and host community women. With our partner organization AVSI Foundation Uganda, we piloted a digital literacy curriculum to teach vital digital skills. The curriculum includes a series of animated videos that cover all the basics of owning and caring for a smartphone, and how to leverage these devices to access an application focused on agriculture for the community’s livelihoods. The animations are available in English and in the main languages used by local communities, namely Swahili, Kinyabwisha, and Runyakitara. Partners such as CARE Uganda have adopted our EQUALS curriculum which is available for open-source use here.

Digitization for Scaling

Leveraging digital tools and technology is increasingly important as we scale our work and build the capacity of other organizations and entities to adopt and adapt our programming. Our bold goal is to reach a total of 5 million people in extreme poverty by 2030 through 1 million women. We plan to do this by partnering with others, leveraging their infrastructure and resources, and providing them with the digital tools and technology like the Echn’eenink coaching app and the EQUALS digital literacy curriculum, to take this work to hundreds of thousands of women.

I am so inspired by the smart, brave, resilient women that we have the privilege and honor of serving. I’m grateful for the ability to be, in a small way, part of providing the opportunity that enables them to unlock their potential and change the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their children, families, and communities. There is no other work I want to be doing and no better way to spend my days than investing in women who will change the world.

View original content here.

On March 7th, Paramount Global coordinated with the Partnership for New York City on Career Discovery Week. Career Discovery Week is part of NYC Public Schools Student Pathways, an expansion of career-connected learning that provides work-based learning opportunities and career exposure. More than 85 of the city’s major employers joined forces this year to help build a bridge from the city’s classrooms to the world of business. This year, Paramount partnered with students from the Manhattan Early College of Advertising (MECA) for a day full of career and advertising-focused workshops and employee-led sessions.

The morning kicked off at Paramount’s Times Square headquarters with a Paramount Culture & CSR presentation for the students, followed by an Internship & Skill-building 101 workshop from Rosa Agnello on the Talent Acquisition team. From there, Harold Anderson, Coordinator for Paramount’s Social Responsibility team, moderated a powerhouse executive Career Path Panel + Q&A featuring: Lydia Daly (SVP, Audience Impact & Intelligence), Anne Becker (VP, Trade Marketing & Communications), Daphne Leroy (SVP, Sales Strategy & Culture) and Debbie King (SVP, Sales Strategy), all of whom shared hugely inspirational advice with the class!

The day culminated with an immersive Storytelling workshop utilizing storyboards. Groups of students were paired up with employees from Paramount’s Advertising division to create a 30-second spot for Paramount+ using giant animation-inspired storyboard templates. Each team presented their work at the end of the activity, and the ideas shared were incredible, including spots focused on themes of inclusion, female empowerment and self-expression. 

The teachers and students of MECA expressed great appreciation for the opportunity. The teachers were impressed by how confidently the students presented their storyboards and engaged in insightful conversations with multiple Paramount teams. One student shared the following feedback with their teacher, “I learned that you should be confident and know your worth.”

Another student added, “the most memorable part for me was working with the employees and getting feedback on ideas and questions.”

Paramount looks forward to furthering our commitment to unleashing the power of content for good to inspire change. Our partnership and experience with the MECA students was a great reminder of this commitment. 

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship announces its official launch today, the pinnacle of Howard’s inaugural HU Entrepreneurship Week.

Over the past several days, Howard has hosted panel discussions, networking events and a business pitch competition, with activities culminating today in the national launch of the Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship. The event, a celebration of the shared commitment to advancing Black entrepreneurship, brought together students, alumni, business experts and aspiring entrepreneurs to network, strategize and spark engagement across the community.

The keynote fireside chat included a moderated discussion between Wayne A.I. Frederick, Howard University president, and T.D. Jakes, chairman and CEO of the T.D. Jakes Group. Other prominent speakers included Nicholas Perkins (Fuddruckers owner and CEO), Askale Davis (TV personality and lifestyle content creator), Kayla Austin (current Howard student and 2022 Black Ambition HBCU Prize Winner), and Gary Rahman and his children Kali and Spirit (founders of Stock Up).

“The Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship is focused on serving as a catalyst for economic opportunity for HBCU students, alums and Black entrepreneurs broadly,” said Erin Horne McKinney, national executive director for the Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship. “Today’s lineup of events is reflective of that commitment as we galvanize to strategically support aspiring and active entrepreneurs and collectively strengthen our economy.”

Established in 2021 with a five-year, $16.8 million grant from The PNC Foundation, The Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship is aimed at building resources and support for Black business owners across the country. The National Center will support expanded opportunities for Black entrepreneurship with educational, leadership and capacity-building resources and programs nationwide.

“HBCUs are driving impactful change in entrepreneurship, education and economic development for Black businesses and the broader community, which directly aligns with PNC’s efforts to provide economic opportunity for all,” said Richard Bynum, chief corporate responsibility officer for PNC. “Through PNC’s partnership with Howard, we’re building extensive resources to enhance entrepreneurial opportunities for aspiring Black business leaders for the betterment of all the communities we serve.”

A regional roadshow will follow the National Center launch event beginning April 11 at Clark Atlanta University, April 13 at Texas Southern University and April 19 at Morgan State University. These HBCUs will partner alongside Howard as regional hubs for the National Center, allowing for the effective coordination of programs and activities across the nation’s network of more than 100 HBCUs and their communities, including education programs, research strategies and business outreach.

A major focus for the National Center and its regional partners is to create an innovative national entrepreneurial network across HBCUs and Black entrepreneurial support organizations. This effort will expand access to entrepreneurship opportunities by engaging youth, HBCU students, and Black business owners in growing their enterprises, with a goal of increasing employment and generational wealth in Black communities. The partners will also come together for the inaugural Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship National Conference in Washington, D.C., June 14-16.

The PNC Foundation grant is part of PNC’s $88 billion Community Benefits Plan that began Jan. 1, 2022. The plan will provide at least $88 billion in loans, investments and other financial support to benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals, communities, and people of color over a four-year period.

About PNC Foundation

The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The PNC Foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Originally published in California Broker Magazine

By Matthew Owenby, Chief Human Resources Officer, Aflac Incorporated

No matter how you get your news these days, you’re likely seeing and hearing these words: inflation, recession and economic downturn. Costs are rising, and consumers are feeling the weight of it at every turn in life — at the gas pump, grocery store, and with their health care options and work choices. Many are still feeling the lingering effects of the global pandemic, further complicating various facets of work and life.

According to my organization’s recent Aflac WorkForces Report, younger generations are particularly vulnerable with elevated anxiety over unanticipated medical costs not covered by health insurance.

Continue reading the full article here

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 5, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE: BBWI), a leader in personal care and home fragrance, today released its first environmental, social and governance (ESG) annual report, detailing the company’s commitments and approach to work toward a more resilient and responsible future.

“Bath & Body Works is making great strides on our ESG journey, and our inaugural ESG report and commitment to meaningful ESG targets is an important step forward,” said CEO Gina Boswell. “We recognize the importance of leading with transparency and supporting the well-being of our people, communities and planet. We look forward to reporting our progress as we integrate our sustainability strategy into our work to deliver long-term value and responsible growth.”

“This first ESG report formalizes our ESG commitments as part of our existing values, ethics and business practices,” said Jeff King, Vice President of ESG. “Within this report, we include our 2022 baseline data that we will use to demonstrate our progress in years to come. We look forward to working with our associates, customers, vendor partners and other third parties to make progress year-over-year and a meaningful difference for a brighter tomorrow.”

The company is outlining its approach to working toward its new near- and longer-term ESG commitments, focused on Engaged People, Thoughtful Products and Brighter Places. The development of the company’s ESG focus, strategy and commitments follows an extensive ESG prioritization assessment, which included research and engagement with key stakeholders including associates across business segments, customers, suppliers, investors and nonprofits, to identify the company’s six areas of focus:

People and CultureDiversity, Equity and InclusionProduct Transparency and IngredientsSustainable SourcingPackaging and PlasticsClimate Change and Carbon Emissions

Today, the company is taking near-term actions to work towards making a difference and building on its strong foundation by 2025, including:

Increasing ethnic and racial diversity among its leadership, ensuring fair, flexible and healthy workplaces with inclusive benefits and enhancing its supplier diversity program.Defining, mapping and publishing a list of priority ingredients which will be the focus of the company’s sustainability programs.Measuring and setting a comprehensive baseline carbon footprint for Scope 3 emissions.Submitting a science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target to Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).Shifting to a packaging model where 50% of its packaging will be recyclable, reusable or compostable.Increasing the amount of post-consumer recycled content (PCR) to 33% of its total plastic packaging portfolio.

As part of its 2030 goals, the company is taking longer-term actions to work toward creating a meaningful impact for a brighter future, including:

The continuous review and updating of its compensation and benefits with evolving best practices.Improving the sustainability profile of priority ingredients used throughout its products, from source to use.Reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50%.Significantly reducing GHG emissions across its operations and supply chain as the company moves towards net-zero.Ensuring 100% of its packaging is recyclable, reusable or compostable.

The complete report is available on the company’s website at bbwinc.com/about-us/esg/esg-report.

ABOUT BATH & BODY WORKS: 
Home of America’s Favorite Fragrances®, Bath & Body Works is a global leader in personal care and home fragrance, including top-selling collections for fine fragrance mist, body lotion and body cream, 3-wick candles, home fragrance diffusers and liquid hand soap. Powered by agility and innovation, the company’s predominantly U.S.-based supply chain enables the company to deliver quality, on-trend luxuries at affordable prices. Bath & Body Works serves and delights customers however and wherever they want to shop, from welcoming, in-store experiences at more than 1,800 company-operated Bath & Body Works locations in the U.S. and Canada and more than 425 international franchised locations to an online storefront at bathandbodyworks.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

We caution that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained in this press release or made by our company or our management involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, our future performance and financial results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any such forward-looking statements. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “planned,” “potential” and any similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Risks associated with the following factors, among others, in some cases have affected and in the future could affect our financial performance and actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements included in this press release or otherwise made by our company or our management:

general economic conditions, inflation, consumer confidence, consumer spending patterns and market disruptions including pandemics or significant health hazards, severe weather conditions, natural disasters, terrorist activities, financial crises, political crises or other major events, or the prospect of these events;the seasonality of our business;the anticipated benefits from the Victoria’s Secret & Co. spin-off may not be realized;the spin-off of Victoria’s Secret & Co. may not be tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes;our dependence on Victoria’s Secret & Co. for information technology services and the transition of such services to our own information technology systems or to those of third-party technology service providers;our ability to attract, develop and retain qualified associates and manage labor-related costs;difficulties arising from turnover in company leadership or other key positions;the dependence on store traffic and the availability of suitable store locations on appropriate terms;our continued growth in part through new store openings and existing store remodels and expansions;our ability to successfully operate and expand internationally and related risks;our independent franchise, license and wholesale partners;our direct channel business;our ability to protect our reputation and our brand image;our ability to successfully complete environmental, social and governance initiatives, and associated costs thereof;our ability to successfully achieve expected annual cost savings in connection with our profit optimization efforts to reduce expenses and improve operating efficiency in the business;our ability to attract customers with marketing, advertising and promotional programs;our ability to maintain, enforce and protect our trade names, trademarks and patents;the highly competitive nature of the retail industry and the segments in which we operate;consumer acceptance of our products and our ability to manage the life cycle of our brand, develop new merchandise and launch new product lines successfully;our ability to source, distribute and sell goods and materials on a global basis, including risks related to:political instability, wars and other armed conflicts, environmental hazards or natural disasters;significant health hazards or pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which could result in closed factories and/or stores, reduced workforces, scarcity of raw materials, and scrutiny or embargoing of goods produced in impacted areas;duties, taxes and other charges;legal and regulatory matters;volatility in currency exchange rates;local business practices and political issues;delays or disruptions in shipping and transportation and related pricing impacts;disruption due to labor disputes; andchanging expectations regarding product safety due to new legislation;our geographic concentration of vendor and distribution facilities in central Ohio;our reliance on a limited number of suppliers to support a substantial portion of our inventory purchasing needs;the ability of our vendors to deliver products in a timely manner, meet quality standards and comply with applicable laws and regulations;fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;fluctuations in product input costs;fluctuations in energy costs;our ability to adequately protect our assets from loss and theft;increases in the costs of mailing, paper, printing or other order fulfillment logistics;claims arising from our self-insurance;our and our third-party service providers’, including Victoria’s Secret & Co. during the term of the Transition Services Agreement between us and Victoria’s Secret & Co., ability to implement and maintain information technology systems and to protect associated data;our ability to maintain the security of customer, associate, third-party and company information;stock price volatility;our ability to pay dividends and make share repurchases under share repurchase authorizations;shareholder activism matters;our ability to maintain our credit ratings;our ability to service or refinance our debt and maintain compliance with our restrictive covenants;the impact of the transition from London Interbank Offered Rate and our ability to adequately manage such transition;our ability to comply with laws, regulations and technology platform rules or other obligations related to data privacy and security;our ability to comply with regulatory requirements;legal and compliance matters; andtax, trade and other regulatory matters.

We are not under any obligation and do not intend to make publicly available any update or other revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect circumstances existing after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of future events even if experience or future events make it clear that any expected results expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements will not be realized. Additional information regarding these and other factors can be found in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and our subsequent filings.

For further information, please contact:

Bath & Body Works, Inc.:

Media Relations 
Communications@bbw.com

Investor Relations 
InvestorRelations@bbw.com

Founded in 1984 by two men and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, M·A·C Cosmetics is a place where LGBTQIA+ people have been welcomed since day one to express their creativity and where they can feel comfortable being their true selves.  

M·A·C was proud to continue this legacy of support and to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) this year by organizing a toiletry drive at the M·A·C Cosmetics offices to benefit The Hetrick Martin Institute (HMI). HMI is a New York City based non-profit organization devoted to serving the needs of LGBTQIA+ youth between the ages of 13 and 24 as well as their families. M·A·C has been partnering with the organization through VIVA GLAM for over 15 years!

Toiletries are HMI’s most significant area of need for the clients they serve, and M·A·C Cosmetics was proud to share that the TDOV toiletry drive resulted in over 20 boxes of supplies being donated for LGBTQIA+ youth in need in the greater NYC area.   

M·A·C shared a recap of the toiletry drive on the brand’s Global Instagram, as well as an impactful video in-feed featuring M·A·C employees in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, with a call to action to help support equal rights for the transgender community by purchasing M·A·C VIVA GLAM – the Lipstick that gives back 100%. 

Learn more about M·A·C VIVA GLAM.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 5, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Discovery Education has been honored with multiple EdTech Awards from EdTech Digest. These awards recognize the products, companies, and people transforming education through technology and enriching the lives of learners everywhere. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.

EdTech Digest is a leading source of cool tools, interviews, and trends showcasing the future of learning. Celebrating its 13th year, the US-based awards is the world’s largest recognition program for education technology. The 2023 finalists and winners were judged based on various criteria, including pedagogical workability, efficacy and results, support, clarity, value, and potential. This year, Discovery Education was honored by the EdTech Awards in the following categories:

EdTech Company Setting a Trend: Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is setting a trend in K-12 education by making its award-winning K-12 learning platform the home to a host of innovative digital content, tools, and services that support educators during a growing number of instructional minutes. The company has focused on enhancing its flexible K-12 learning platform with updates including doubling the number of formative assessments, a redesigned user interface helping teachers better track student academic progress in real-time, and an improved search functionality. In addition, Discovery Education has made several recent acquisitions that put even more exciting services at educators’ fingertips.

Science Solution: Mystery Science 
Mystery Science, which joined the family of Discovery Education services in 2020, provides K-5 educators with simple-to-use, open-and-go, hands-on lessons that inspire students to love science. Each lesson begins by posing a question commonly asked by young students, followed by a series of brief videos and prompts to guide class discussion. The lesson concludes with a hands-on activity designed to bring learning to life.

In addition, Peter Bohacek, Discovery Education’s Director of Curriculum & Instruction, was recognized for founding Pivot Interactives. Established in 2012 by Bohacek alongside fellow Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Matt Vonk, Pivot Interactives joined the family of Discovery Education services in 2022. Pivot Interactives develops dynamic cloud-based activities that actively engage students in the authentic exploration of real scientific phenomena across Biology, Earth and Space Science, Chemistry, Environmental Science, and Physics.

“A very big congratulations to all the EdTech Awards 2023 finalists and winners—and congratulations to all who endured the upheavals of the last few years only to come through stronger, more experienced, resilient, and resolute in laying out the future of learning,” said Victor Rivero, Editor-in-Chief of EdTech Digest.

Several of Discovery Education’s products and services were also honored by the EdTech Awards as finalists, including: Pivot Interactives (Science Solution and STEM Solution), Science Techbook (Science Solution), DoodleMath (Math Solution), STEM Careers Coalition (Edtech Group Setting a Trend), Mystery Science (Product or Service Setting a Trend), K-12 learning platform back-to-school updates (New Product or Service), and K-12 learning platform (Product or Service and Product or Service Setting a Trend).

“Discovery Education is proud to be recognized by the 2023 EdTech Awards. We appreciate judges’ careful review of all the entries and congratulate each person and company we stand alongside this year,” said Jeremy Cowdrey, Discovery Education’s Chief Executive Officer. “These recognitions will motivate the entire Discovery Education team to continue creating innovative services that support students and educators around the world.”

Learn more about the 2023 EdTech Awards and the other winners here.

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources—which can be purchased with federal stimulus funds—and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn. 

###

About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts 
Grace Maliska 
Discovery Education 
Email: gmaliska@discoveryed.com

Originally published on LinkedIn

The African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, announced that it will collaborate with Illumina, a global leader in sequencing and array-based technologies, on a joint workforce development training academy, with the objective of increasing Africa’s genomics capacity.

In February, @ACEGID and Illumina signed a memorandum of understanding, and will work towards an agreement to leverage the existing pathogen Genomics and Bioinformatics Bootcamp programme at ACEGID, to set up an ambitious training programme targeting 1,000 young African researchers and scientists in Genomics and Bioinformatics between March 2023 and December 2025. This will significantly increase the supply of qualified technical workforce for next-generation sequencing wet lab management, bioinformatics, big data analytics and advanced artificial intelligence/machine learning applications.

The objective is to establish a Genomics and Bioinformatics training Academy within ACEGID at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria. Illumina and ACEGID will also explore the implementation of a “mobile lab-in-container” that will enable real-time and on-the-move sequencing for outbreak responses in West Africa. This new programme fits into ACEGID’s SENTINEL pandemic preparedness and response programme of identifying pathogens with pandemic potentials in the field before they can wreak havoc.

“This new cooperation with Illumina is in complete alignment with the mandate of ACEGID, which is to train a critical mass of young African scientists that will use genomics tools and technologies to address public health challenges in Africa,” said Prof. Christian Happi, the Director of ACEGID.

“We share a collective goal with ACEGID of extending the reach of genomic technologies and their impacts for patients,” said Susan Tousi, Chief Commercial Officer of Illumina. “Africa has the greatest genetic diversity of any continent, and this opportunity to contribute to the future of accessing that diversity for the benefit of human health is one Illumina is proud to support.”

The two organizations will also work towards collaborations for pharmacogenomics (the study of how genes affect a person’s response to drugs) and precision oncology (the treatment of cancers based on the specific genes that cause cancerous growth in a patient) for Africans.

“Making precision medicine a reality for all populations is core to Illumina’s mission to improve human health by unlocking the power of the genome,” said Illumina Chief Executive Officer Francis deSouza. “Today, only 2% of genomic data comes from African individuals, and we’re committed to changing that. It begins with empowering local scientists and researchers with tools, resources, and training on the power of genomics. Our work with Prof. Happi and ACEGID builds on our goal to rapidly expand sequencing capabilities and capacity for all people in Africa, and will impact every area of precision medicine, from drug development to cancer screening, therapy selection and monitoring.”

Prof. Happi added, “What is unique about this cooperation is that both Illumina and ACEGID are agreeing to put in place the necessary infrastructure for training in genomics, research and innovation that is going beyond infectious diseases to also address the issues of non-communicable diseases.”

This cooperation aims to be a landmark in the African genomics and public health space; addressing the needs for both human resources development and infrastructure for proper training to enable increased capacity for genomics on the continent.

’Fikayo Oyewale

Scientific Communications Officer, ACEGID

Art teacher Lourdes Fuller firmly believes art class is a lab. The design cycle, she argues, is very much like the STEM process: You get an idea, draft it out and then step back and redesign. Fuller explains, “The scientific process is that you basically test your hypothesis. In art, you’re testing your idea.”

Fuller argues that art and science have much in common: “In order to be any kind of scientist, you have to have a curiosity, and you have to observe the world, and all of that is art.”

In her art classes at Shenandoah Middle School Museums Magnet in Miami, FL, students use technology, including 1-1 devices provided by Verizon Innovative Learning to analyze plants, insects and more, all through the eyes of an artist. “They think they are doing nothing, but they are doing so much,” Fuller says. “They are doing science.”

While students inspected the school grounds for plants and insects to classify through the use of an app, sixth grade student Karen Eglantin commented on the hands-on nature of art, saying, “I learned about real life things, not just from a book.”

When inside the classroom, Fuller regularly uses a document camera – a device that can project and magnify images – to zoom in on her hand and what she is drawing. She then projects her artwork onto each student’s individual device.

“They all have access to what I’m drawing from their desk,” Fuller explains. “They can raise their hands and say, ‘Wait, I didn’t see that. Can you do that again?’”

Fuller’s passion for art extends to the social and emotional growth of students. “The most exciting moment for me is [when] students find and discover something with their eyes,” she says. “The more you see, the more you know and how you fit into the world.”

For educators interested in interdisciplinary lessons that combine STEM with art, visit Verizon Innovative Learning HQ for free resources and apps.