Tata Consultancy Services and Discovery Education Announce Ignite Innovation Student Challenge Winners

SILVER SPRING, Md. and NEW YORK, May 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Tata Consultancy Services, (TCS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, and Discovery Education, the leading provider of standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms, announced the winners of the TCS Ignite Innovation Student Challenge. Eleven-year-old Ryan H. from The Pegasus School in Huntington Beach, Calif., will receive a $10,000 Grand Prize and virtual mentorship from TCS technology experts. Ryan’s invention, titled Early Wildfire Detection Network enables firefighters to activate an app on their cellphone using a low-cost wireless field module.

“Creativity and curiosity are two of the community values at Pegasus. Ryan embodies both of these traits. We saw this in him at an early age and are thrilled that he has put his knowledge and his values to good use in envisioning such an impactful idea,” said Jen Green, Pegasus Lower School Director.

Pegasus Science Teacher Nadeane Cooper continued, “I am proud of Ryan’s passion for science and technology and for his innovative thinking. His success is an example of what Pegasus teachers love to see in students. He took a spark from what he learned in class and grew it into something larger and impactful.”

The TCS Ignite Innovation Student Challenge encouraged students ages 11-14 to use computational thinking to create digital solutions that solve problems and improve the world. Utilizing TCS’ social responsibility pillars of ‘Planet, Health and Education,’ middle school students from across the country, in teams up to four, were invited to craft a digital concept and submit entries by creating a written description or a one to two-minute video.

In addition to the Grand Prize, nine other student winners have been selected to receive prizes.  Winners of the Ignite Innovation Student Challenge Pillar Prizes, for ‘Planet, Health and Education,’ will receive $7,500, and six $1,000 Winner Circle Prizes will be awarded to the remaining students. Submissions were judged based on creativity, content, persuasiveness, and overall presentation.

“TCS is dedicated to preparing a new generation of young leaders whose innovations will one day transform society. We are extremely proud of the challenge winners for applying their computational thinking skills to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities,” said Balaji Ganapathy, Head, Workforce Effectiveness, TCS. “These students exemplify the pioneering spirit, skillset and mindset essential to thrive in a Business 4.0™ world.”

TCS Ignite Innovation Student Challenge Winners, include:
Ignite Innovation Student Challenge Top ‘Planet, Health and Education’ Pillar Winners:
Award: $7,500 and virtual mentorship from a team of TCS technology experts.

Shraman K., a twelve-year-old from Meyzeek Middle School in Louisville, Ky. has been named the Top Our Planet Pillar Winner for his invention titled Mobile App Foodle. Shraman created a software platform to provide accessible food to homeless people.

Gitanjali R., an eleven-year-old from STEM School Highland Ranch in Highlands Ranch, Colo. has been named the Top Health Pillar Winner for the invention titled Early Diagnosis of Opioid Addiction. Gitanjali created a kit that would arm physicians with an easy diagnostic tool to identify patients who are on the verge of addiction.

Alexandria C., a thirteen-year-old from Charles P. Murray Middle School in Wilmington, N.C., has been named the Top Education Pillar Winner for her invention titled Sign Buddy. Alexandria created a cube that translates sign language into spoken English and also translates spoken English into ASL and ESL.

“Discovery Education is proud to join forces with TCS to help students and educators revolutionize their learning experiences and prepare them with the tools needed to reimagine learning in classrooms,” said Lori McFarling, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Discovery Education. “Together, we are strengthening computational thinking skills and challenging students to think of STEM as a way to help education, health and our environment. We extend our congratulations to the 2019 ‘Ignite Innovation Student Challenge’ winners.”

Ignite Innovation Student Challenge Winner’s Circle:
Award: $1,000 in grants and prizes.

Maura B., a twelve-year old from Plainfield Community Middle School in Plainfield, Ind. has been named a Winner’s Circle Awardee for her project titled Mission Recycle. Maura created an app that encourages recycling by rewarding people with earn gift cards or donations to non-profit organizations.

Liam B., a thirteen-year-old from Emil A. Cavallini Middle School in Upper Saddle River, N.J. has been named a Winner’s Circle Awardee for his PillSafe project. Liam created a pill bottle with a lock and timer to monitor opioid use.

Wyatt K., a twelve-year-old from Kiski Area Intermediate School in Vandergrift, Pa. has been named a Winner’s Circle Awardee for his project titled 9-1:1. Wyatt created a 9-1:1 app designed to connect someone in need with the fastest and most helpful medical response.

Krish L., a thirteen-year-old from Emil A. Cavallini Middle School in Upper Saddle River, N.J. has been named a Winner’s Circle Awardee for her project titled SafeSpaceVR. Krish used Virtual Reality (VR) to treat anxiety in teenagers with fun, low cost and easy methods.

Michaelina H., Paulina D. and Tiffany T., thirteen-year-olds from Randolph Community Middle School in Randolph, Mass. have been named Winner’s Circle Awardees for their Responsive Community Mechanics System project. Together, they created a responsive community mechanics system that will improve the way we view and handle education and health safety schools.

Nasr M. and Nikhil J., fourteen-year-olds from Vista Del Sur Traditional School in Laveen, Ariz. has been named a Winner’s Circle Awardee for his Trash Coin project. Nasr and Nikhil created a way for people to earn money while helping the environment.

Launched in 2017, Ignite My Future in School is an initiative that combines the best of digital content, lesson plans, career vignettes, and professional learning to help teachers prepare their students for careers of the future. The initiative offers educators instructional resources and year-round curriculum support to ensure that computational thinking is embedded into core subjects such as math, sciences, arts and social studies. This interdisciplinary approach helps students to obtain the necessary skills required for 21st century careers across all industries.

On a national level, Ignite My Future in School has a goal of engaging 20,000 teachers and one million US students by 2021. Since the program’s launch in 2017, more than 8,000 teachers and 467,000 students, in 81 school districts across all 50 states have benefited from the program. Ignite My Future resources are available at no-cost at ignitemyfutureinschool.org

About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS):
Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for the last fifty years. TCS offers a consulting-led, cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 424,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 46 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $20.9 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit us at tcs.com. To stay up-to-date on TCS news in North America, follow @TCS_NA. For TCS global news, follow @TCS_News.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K., and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.

Contacts:
Ben Trounson, Tata Consultancy Services, b.trounson@tcs.com
Marguerite Pinheiro, Tata Consultancy Services, marguerite.pinheiro@fleishman.com 
Charmion N. Kinder, Discovery Education, ckinder@discoveryed.com

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