“We’ll offer new prizes and awards for Monroe County students for the new school year,” John Padget, representing one of the Padget-Dekker foundations. “We are committed to students ready to grasp the challenge and get deeply involved in computer science—guaranteeing their job futures in virtually any industry.”

Padget continued, “All forecasts tell us that most jobs of the future will require some knowledge of computers and computer science. www.Code.org forecasts that there will be a million open jobs in America by 2020.  Right now in Florida there are about 25,000 open jobs–in all industry sectors–that require computer science skills.”

Offering prizes for 6th and 7th graders, COMPUTE$ is giving cash prizes for completion of IC3 industry certificates in IC3 Key Applications, IC3 Living Online, and IC3 Computing Fundamentals. For newly enrolled students in the 2016-2017 school year, students are encouraged to work at their own pace and if they succeed before Christmas 2016, the prize will be $100 for each certificate, after Christmas, it will be $50 each.

Starting in 8th grade, and continuing in high school, the focus will be on Microsoft Office Specialist (Florida certificate MICRO069). For newly enrolled students in the 2016-2017 school year, acceleration is encouraged; students can get bigger prizes if they work harder and pass the tests quicker. Prizes start at $500 (for the first 25), the $400 (for the next 25), $300 (for the next 25), $200 (for the next 25), and $100 for everyone who finishes before June 30, 2017.

In addition, newly enrolled high school students getting certified in Autodesk, Adobe, and MOS Master (0.2 on the FL state funding list) will each receive $250 prizes.

Padget emphasized, “This challenge is in addition to the free lap-top program for all students registering in the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) to take and succeed in Advanced Placement Computer Science. Interested students can still register by calling: Michele Nicholson, principal at FLVS at 904-385-0325, or email [email protected] . This is free for Florida students and earns both high school and college credit.”

“Now in its third year, COMPUTE$ has made more than 350 awards for success in computer science, “ Monroe County Superintendent Mark Porter explained. “I’m really proud that we can show this result in a rural county like Monroe, and as the logo says—Learn Here/Work Anywhere.”

For further information, contact:

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]