Amazon is teaming up with Prince George’s County Public Schools to fund computer science education at 132 elementary schools throughout the county, the school system announced Tuesday.
The megacorporation’s Amazon Future Engineer program is being done in partnership with BootUp, a nonprofit professional development provider specializing in elementary school education.
The program will assist more than 49,000 students from underserved and underrepresented communities, according to a release.
“We are proud to once again partner with Amazon to increase access to STEM education across our district,” said Monica Goldson, the chief executive officer for Prince George’s County Public Schools.
“This type of partnership allows us to personalize the educational experience to meet the unique needs of our students. As we continue to shift to online learning, this opportunity will drive innovation and inspire our students to become trailblazers for the future.”
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks called the program a “much needed and welcomed addition for the students in our county schools.”
“When this pandemic hit our community in March, closing our schools, my concern was and remains the achievement gap that can widen without intervention,” Alsobrooks said. “This STEM and computer science education will undoubtedly keep our young people on track to continue their education virtually.”
The PGCPS is part of a $50 million nationwide STEM push by Amazon. More than 40 high schools in Maryland are already participating in the Amazon Future Engineer program.
Amazon Future Engineer/BootUp applications can be filed online.
