Area high school woman recognized as technology leader
January 11, 2017
Elaine Patterson has been selected as an Aspirations in Computing – South Carolina award recipient and a National Aspirations in Computing award recipient. She attends Spring Valley High School in Columbia, SC.
The award is part of a national effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology and is organized in South Carolina by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and IT-oLogy.
“With technology jobs projected to grow faster than all other job sectors in the next decade, it’s imperative that we nurture the computing aspirations of women, who will make up half the professional workforce,” said Lucy Sanders, CEO and Co-founder of NCWIT. “This award allows us recognize and encourage talent that might otherwise be overlooked.”
The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing was 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. Winners are acknowledged for their outstanding aptitude and interest in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education.
Eighteen young women will be honored at a reception hosted by IT-oLogy, Winthrop University and Columbia College in late January. The group includes 12 winners, four honorable mentions, one national Aspirations recipient and one honorable mention national recipient.
The recipients of the 2017 NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing – South Carolina are:
Ashton Aleman North Augusta High School, N. Augusta, SC
Julia Avesta Denmark Olar High School, Denmark Olar, SC
Kaitlyn Baldizzi South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, Hartsville, SC
Mary Kathryn Davidson Honorable Mention South Carolina Association of Independent Homeschools
Elizabeth Fitzgerald Fort Mill High School, Fort Mill, SC
Taylor Hennessy Fort Mill High School, Fort Mill, SC
Gelsey Jaymes Honorable Mention Porter Gaud School, Charleston, SC
Rebecca Kahn National Honorable Mention Porter Gaud School, Charleston, SC
Eleanor Lee Porter Gaud School, Charleston, SC
Caroline Linkous Porter Gaud School, Charleston, SC
Kristina Matthews Academy for Arts, Sciences and Technology, Myrtle Beach, SC
Jenna Nesmith Honorable Mention Academy of Arts, Sciences and Technology, Myrtle Beach, SC
Elaine Patterson National Award Recipient Spring Valley High School, Columbia, SC
Jenna Pehowski Fort Mill High School, Fort Mill, SC
Riley Psenka Porter Gaud School, Charleston, SC
Lauren Tapp Porter Gaud School, Charleston, SC
Meg Truluck Porter Gaud School, Charleston, SC
Rachel Weissman Honorable Mention Dreher High School, Columbia, SC
About IT-oLogy: IT-oLogy is a non-profit collaboration of businesses, academic institutions and other organizations dedicated to growing the IT talent pipeline and advancing the IT profession. For more information about IT-oLogy, visit www.it-ology.org or contact Rachel Barnett at 803.354.5735 or [email protected].
ABOUT THE AWARD
The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC) honors high school women who are active and interested in computing and technology, and encourages them to pursue their passions. Award for AiC recipients are chosen for their demonstrated interest and achievements in computing, proven leadership ability, academic performance, and plans for post-secondary education. The multi-tiered structure includes recognition at the national and local levels, serving all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and all U.S. overseas military bases. The NCWIT Award for AiC is sponsored by Apple, Bank of America, Microsoft, Motorola Solutions Foundation, and Symantec.
ABOUT NCWIT
The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is a non-profit community of more than 850 universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations nationwide working to increase women’s participation in computing and technology. NCWIT equips change leaders with resources for taking action in recruiting, retaining, and advancing women from K–12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers. Find out more atwww.ncwit.org.
