The High-Tech High Heels North Texas announced its partnership with the Toyota USA Foundation. The nonprofit HTHH will receive a $500,000 grant to further its mission to increase the number of girls entering into a college-level degree program in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Michael Medalla, manager of the Toyota USA Foundation [courtesy photo]
Michael Medalla, manager of the Toyota USA Foundation, says the grant builds on Toyota’s efforts to foster “problem-solvers and innovators of tomorrow.”
The grant will be used to build a STEM pipeline program in the Dallas Independent School District focused on kindergarten through high school-aged girls from underserved communities. The grant also will support the creation of a cohesive curriculum and a playbook for educational resources and year-round programming in DFW and beyond.
“Today, there are several wonderful STEM programs available to youth, but curriculum development can be difficult, and the consistency of offerings can vary greatly depending on financial resources,” Medalla said in a statement. “Through this grant, High-Tech High Heels will share what they do best with other nonprofits to address disparities and help close the gender gap in STEM fields.”
High-Tech High Heels was founded by a group of women at Texas Instruments more than two decades ago to help close the gender gap in STEM fields. They’ve invested more than $1M in programs that increase access to college-level STEM degree programs for girls and expanded to two regional chapters—North Texas and Silicon Valley.
“This grant advances our mission and we are extremely grateful to be partnering with The Toyota USA Foundation to develop this strategic program across the country,” Britney Keepes, board member for High-Tech High Heels, said in a statement.
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