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Driveway Encounter With Microsoft's President Led To $25 Million For Code.org
Long time reader theodp writes: At Monday's kickoff event with Melinda Gates for Computer Science Education Week 2018, Microsoft President Brad Smith revealed how a 2013 driveway encounter led to Microsoft's decision to commit $25 million to Code.org, whose CEO Hadi Partovi happens to live next door to Smith. "At the top of the hill, we share a common driveway," Smith said. "I can't even drive into the garage at night if he is standing in the way. Well, actually I can, but running him over is not the right path." Five years ago, Smith recalled, Partovi was in his driveway (King of the Hill-inspired artist's impression), "and he said, 'I have an idea [for then-nascent Code.org]. There is an important problem that we can help solve, because for too many people they look at these opportunities in computer science, and they don't appreciate that in truth anybody can aspire to be the next Melinda Gates or the next Bill Gates or the next Jeff Bezos or the next Sheryl Sandberg or Mark Zuckerberg. What they need, what they deserve, is the opportunity to learn this fundamental field.'"
Earlier this year, Code.org celebrated its 5th anniversary and thanked Microsoft and other tech donors for making it possible for the nonprofit to change U.S. K-12 public education. Smith also announced Monday that Microsoft would invest an additional $10 million in Code.org to help expand the tech-bankrolled nonprofit's work. "The renewed partnership," Microsoft explained, "will focus on ensuring that by 2020 every state will have passed policies to expand access to computer science and every school in the U.S. will have access to Code.org professional development."
Earlier this year, Code.org celebrated its 5th anniversary and thanked Microsoft and other tech donors for making it possible for the nonprofit to change U.S. K-12 public education. Smith also announced Monday that Microsoft would invest an additional $10 million in Code.org to help expand the tech-bankrolled nonprofit's work. "The renewed partnership," Microsoft explained, "will focus on ensuring that by 2020 every state will have passed policies to expand access to computer science and every school in the U.S. will have access to Code.org professional development."
here is an important problem that we can help solve, because for too many people they look at these opportunities in computer science, and they don't appreciate that in truth anybody can aspire to be the next Melinda Gates ... or the next Sheryl Sandberg
I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with Melinda or Sheryl's contributions to computer science, or their qualifications as software engineers? Can someone please explain those to me, before I continue reading this puff piece about two multi-millionaires and their happy little top-of-the-driveway accidental run in.
Let's flood the market with programmers and then add insult to injury by fixing their wages.
Not only that, but Bill Gates came from a wealthy family, had a lot of connections, and was going to a prestigious school (where he also met some other well-connected individuals). So Bill Gates is a bad example.
"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain
living next to the other extremely wealthy person talked to each other. this resulted in one of them donating a pittance, as a gesture, to the other extremely wealthy persons endeavour.
TLDR; for anyone too lazy to read the story.