Boys & Girls Clubs of America Continues Partnership With AMD To Influence STEM Skill Knowledge Growth

News provided by

Aug 09, 2012, 12:30 ET

Grant from AMD Foundation Provides Ongoing Support to 10 Boys & Girls Clubs, Plus New Support for Five More

ATLANTA, Aug. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the third year in a row, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) have partnered nationally with AMD and the AMD Foundation to support technology for Club members. This year's support, in the amount of $261,000, includes several initiatives:

Boys & Girls Club Day at AMD – AMD is hosting 13 Club youth ages 11-13 at its Austin campus today, Aug. 9, for a career experience with AMD leaders and engineers.
Game Tech Program – AMD is continuing to fund 10 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country to implement BGCA's Game Tech, a video game design program that teaches important science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. In addition, five new Clubs will be provided funding this year to run the program.
Digital Arts Festivals – AMD sponsored a new category this year – game design – in BGCA's Digital Arts Festivals. Boys & Girls Club youth from across the globe compete annually in the national arts competition to showcase digital expertise learned through Club technology programs, including Game Tech. Last week, national teen winners were rewarded with an all-expense paid trip to Philadelphia where they were honored at an awards gala, participated in career experiences with top technology companies and were provided new laptops from AMD.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050921/CLW030LOGO)

"The partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America has proven to be highly successful. In just a few years, through the Game Tech program, more than 20,000 youth have learned to make their own video games while enhancing their STEM skills," said Allyson Peerman, president, AMD Foundation. "This new grant will assist AMD Changing the Game in achieving the goal of reaching 1 million youth by 2020."

AMD's contribution to BGCA supports the AMD Foundation's signature education initiative, AMD Changing the Game, a program that encourages youth to learn critical STEM skills and become more globally conscious citizens by developing digital games with social themes.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, some 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs serve nearly 4 million children and teens through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native American lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. Clubs provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at bgca.org/facebook and bgca.org/twitter.

About the AMD Foundation

The AMD Foundation connects and empowers individuals with knowledge, thereby opening doors to opportunity. The Foundation's signature program, AMD Changing the Game, is designed to inspire youth to learn critical education and life skills by equipping them to create digital games with social content. The program's purpose is to promote the use of youth game development as a tool to inspire learning and improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills. Since 2008, AMD Changing the Game has funded 40 programs operated by 26 organizations in the United States, China, Malaysia, Canada, Europe and the Middle East and has reached 75,000 youth. The Foundation also funds the AMD Employee Giving Program which supports AMD employees' community interests by matching their personal donations of time and money to local organizations and schools. Learn more at amd.com/changingthegame.

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America