Lots of people put off giving to charity until the last couple days of the year when you can still get the tax deduction (including some of us here at Xconomy). We know this year has been rough, but for those of you who can still give, we put together a list of organizations that aim to strengthen the science and technology skills of young people in our region. It’s not a comprehensive list, so if you have any other suggestions, please post a comment below or send us a note at [email protected]
Technology Access Foundation (TAF)
—TAF aims to help children of color get the skills they need to join the high-tech workforce. Co-founder Trish Millines Dziko, a former Microsoftie, started this in 1996 as an after-school program to train kids for internships. That success paved the way for TAF’s most ambitious effort yet, a new public school it runs in Federal Way called TAF Academy High School. As we wrote back in September, Millines has a vision of enrolling 4,100 kids in TAF programs across the state by 2016.
Northwest Association for Biomedical Research
—Established in 1988, the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research, based in Seattle, runs programs to improve K-12 science education. It has longstanding programs to help train teachers in biology, as well as help match up students with career scientists who serve as mentors.
Pacific Science Center
—This hotspot at the Seattle Center for lifelong science, math, and technology learning serves a million people a year, and has educational programs that reach all 39 counties in Washington state.
Science & Engineering Business Association
—This student organization at the University of Washington aims to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in science and engineering students. It organized the largest career fair at the UW in October, with more than 140 companies scouting the talent pool.
Technology in Education Trust
—This charity is affiliated with the Seattle-based Technology Alliance, and is set up to support the organization’s public policy research and education outreach work.
Center for Inquiry Science
—This is a Seattle-based program established by the Institute for Systems Biology to improve K-12 science education in Washington state.
