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T-Mobile Selects 30 Teams of Visionary Youth from Across the Country as 2019 Changemaker Challenge WinnersT-Mobile (News - Alert) and the T-Mobile Foundation today announced the winners of the 2019 T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge, the Un-carrier's nationwide contest that is mobilizing the next generation of young visionaries. For the second consecutive year, T-Mobile, the T-Mobile Foundation, and Ashoka, the world's largest network of social entrepreneurs, put out a call to youth aged 13 to 23 from the U.S., asking them to submit BIG ideas aimed at changing their communities for good. They received an amazing 428 entries - a 32% increase over last year's total submissions - which were then narrowed down to the 30 winning teams in three categories, Technology, the Environment and Education. From each category, one team was selected as the category winner. "T-Mobile is all about finding BOLD solutions and driving CHANGE -- and that is EXACTLY what our Changemaker Challenge is all about! This year we received hundreds of amazing entries from inspiring future leaders who have big ideas about how to create a better world and we were totally blown away by what we saw! These youth are going to ensure a brighter future for us all and we can't wait to help them make their ideas a reality!" said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile and president of the T-Mobile Foundation. Winners receive seed money from the T-Mobile Foundation and a trip to T-Mobile's headquarters. Here's how it works:
Judges from T-Mobile and Ashoka reviewed submissions based on the following criteria:
Projects ranging from apps to robots to political advocacy groups offered solutions around topics ranging from mental health to bee colony collapse to flood warning systems to gun violence prevention. Several proposals aimed at better integrating science, technology, engineering and math instruction (STEM) into U.S. classrooms and prioritizing greater diversity and equity within the tech industry. Notably, most of the top-rated Technology entries were submitted by young women!
Winners of the 2019 Changemaker Challenge
Technology
Category Winners
AmityConnections (Aldie, VA)
Bringing the Love of Volunteering to Underserved Communities (Houston, TX)
Converge (Palos Heights, IL)
Girl Innovation (Gurabo, PR)
notOK App (Atlanta, GA)
Positive Impact for Kids (Greenville, SC)
She Can Tech (Portage, IN)
We the Immigrants (Henderson, NV)
The Environment
Category Winners
Homes4Monarchs (Palos Park, IL)
HydroAlert (Austin, TX)
Ian's Giving Garden & Frutas Frescas Orchard (Austin, TX)
Jee Foods (Hamilton, OH)
1 Week to Save the Earth Challenge (Portland, OR)
PlantumAI: AI-Automated Crop Analytics for Less-Fortunate Areas (Macungie, PA)
Remora (Corozal, PR)
The Green Sleep Project (Danbury, CT)
Education
Category Winners
Be the Change (Cleveland, OH & Lincoln, NE)
Empowering Today's Girls to be Tomorrow's Scientists (Wilmington, DE)
Future Kings Mentoring (Pittsburgh, PA)
Hey Schools! Let Teens Take the Wheel (Jacksonville, FL)
Homegirl Project (Oviedo, FL)
Object: Now Girly Means Confident (Menlo Park, CA)
3C Social Youth Entrepreneurship Digital Academy (Sammamish, WA)
Youth Educating Police Training & Workshop (Portland, OR)
The T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge was inspired by America's youth activists and developed in partnership with and sponsored by Ashoka, the world's leading network of systems-changing social entrepreneurs. The T-Mobile Foundation is partnering with Ashoka for the Changemaker Challenge because for the last 40 years, Ashoka has supported social entrepreneurs as they bring new ideas to systemically address the world's biggest challenges. Ashoka works around the globe with partners like the T-Mobile Foundation to support youth with developing core competencies of empathy, teamwork, collaborative leadership and changemaking skills. For more information about the second annual T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge and to see the full list of entrants, visit t-mobile.com/changemaker, and join the conversation on social with #TMoChangemaker. About T-Mobile US, Inc. As America's Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. Our advanced nationwide 4G LTE (News - Alert) network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to 84.2 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on quality and value. Based in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile US provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile. For more information, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com. About T-Mobile Foundation The T-Mobile Foundation is committed to changing the world for good. The Foundation advances positive change in our communities by supporting causes that focus on youth development and by providing opportunities for T-Mobile employees to engage in causes that benefit the communities where they live and work. The T-Mobile Foundation, created and funded by T-Mobile US, Inc., is recognized by the IRS as a Section 501(c)(3) private foundation. About Ashoka Ashoka is the largest global network of leading social entrepreneurs-individuals with new ideas to systemically address the world's biggest challenges and the entrepreneurial skill to transform those ideas into national, regional and global social impact. Over 35 years, Ashoka has supported more than 3,500 social entrepreneurs in 90 countries with solutions addressing society's most pressing issues. Ashoka's vision is a world in which Everyone is a Changemaker-a society that responds quickly and effectively to challenges, and where each individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem. For more information, visit ashoka.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191205005781/en/ |