CA Technologies Grant to PENCIL Wires NYC Students for Success

NEW YORK, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- CA Technologies, a long-time PENCIL Partner and supporter, announced today it is broadening its relationship with PENCIL, a nonprofit organization that inspires innovative solutions through education.

The company will provide an additional $1.2 million in grant funds for PENCIL's Wired for Success program, an initiative which will provide funding for PENCIL's Partnership Program over the next four years. As a worldwide IT leader, CA Technologies is especially focused on fostering growth in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, and will continue to work with PENCIL to promote STEM education in New York City schools.

Over the past six years, CA Technologies has contributed nearly $1,000,000 to PENCIL.

"As a PENCIL Partner and board member, I have had the opportunity to see the benefit and impact of these relationships up close. Through grants, internships, and other efforts, partnerships like ours positively influence and empower resource-constrained schools, help improve STEM learning for young people and develop future leaders in the IT industry," said Bill McCracken, CEO, CA Technologies.

PENCIL's Partnership Program builds and supports customized relationships between business leaders and principals to inspire innovation and transform public schools. The program has already helped thousands of business and school leaders develop unique, school-based collaborations that have a lasting impact on school leaders, students, school communities and school cultures. Nearly 400 partnerships are currently at work receiving a multi-tiered support structure that helps to ensure each school-business partnership thrives—including one-on-one assistance, workshops and trainings and support materials. In addition to New York City the program is operating in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Rochester. 

"CA Technologies has been an exceptional corporate partner, clearly demonstrating the commitment their company has to improving the quality of education for all students and helping to make the most of talent and potential regardless of societal disadvantages, " said Dave Barger, President and CEO of JetBlue Airways and chair of PENCIL's board of directors. "As we strive to double the number of schools we are serving—from approximately 400 to 750, nearly half of the City's public schools—CA Technologies gift, the largest in PENCIL's history, is a perfect example of how businesses can make a real difference in our communities."

A PENCIL Partner since 2007, CA Technologies has worked with two East Harlem schools, the Talented and Gifted (TAG) School and Global Technology Preparatory, to develop unique STEM education initiatives for students and help build technology capacity. In addition, CA Technologies has participated in the PENCIL Fellows program for the last two years, providing summer internships for high school students interested in pursuing a career in the STEM field.

Since 2007, CA Technologies has partnered with the TAG School in East Harlem, NY, which serves students with gifted abilities in grades K-8 and is one of three citywide Gifted and Talented schools in the city. Principal Janette Cesar has worked with CA Technologies to develop a unique electronic pen pal program that connects TAG students with peers at the CA-HOPE School in Hyderabad, India, enabling students to develop their writing skills and global understanding through technology. Cesar has also been able to demonstrate the value of their in-class technological curriculum with field trips to CA Technologies headquarters in Islandia, as well as other trips to museums and historical landmarks.  And through CA Technologies support, the school has grown the number of SmartBoards which provide interactive classroom learning, helping the students to be more engaged and develop a stronger sense of community.

CA Technologies also partners with Global Technology Preparatory, which opened its doors in 2009. The school is part of the New York City Department of Education's iZone and Small Schools Initiative to fully integrate technology and twenty-first-century skills in the curriculum. CA Technologies is working with the school to raise its standards for innovation—including staff leadership development and experiential learning opportunities for students.

Finally, as part of an effort to help create real-world business experiences, CA Technologies also initiated a "CEO and Chairman for a Day" program at both schools, to enable students to participate in business activities and competition and then experience first-hand what it's like to serve as the company's CEO and Chairman for a day. The partners are also expanding their focus to include global literacy with the creation of a foreign language lunch club for students.

"We are deeply appreciative of CA Technologies dedication and generosity toward our public schools and the PENCIL Partnership Program," said Michael Haberman, President of PENCIL. "With this support, we will continue to create opportunities for school leaders who need, now more than ever, the benefits business experts bring to schools in their community. Our relationship with CA Technologies epitomizes what PENCIL's mission is all about."

About PENCIL

PENCIL, founded in 1995, pioneered public education partnerships in New York City by connecting businesses with public school leaders to improve student achievement. Today's public schools need the resources, knowledge and inspiration that businesses can provide, and PENCIL's Partnership Program supports strategic, long-term, partnerships based on unique school needs and business expertise. For more information about PENCIL, visit its website at www.PENCIL.org.

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About CA Technologies

CA Technologies is an IT management software and solutions company with expertise across all IT environments – from mainframe and distributed, to virtual and cloud. CA Technologies manages and secures IT environments and enables customers to deliver more flexible IT services. CA Technologies innovative products and services provide the insight and control essential for IT organizations to power business agility. The majority of the Global Fortune 500 relies on CA Technologies to manage evolving IT ecosystems. For additional information, visit CA Technologies at www.ca.com.

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SOURCE PENCIL