Olympic Champion Katie Ledecky Launches STEM Education Program Powered By Panasonic

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Panasonic Corporation of North America

Jan 08, 2020, 14:15 ET

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- At Panasonic's Tech Talk during CES 2020, five-time Olympic gold medalist and 15-time World Champion swimmer Katie Ledecky along with Panasonic of North America announced the launch of her STEM education program, "Katie Ledecky's Dive Into STEM Education powered by Panasonic." The digital program delivered to schools is aimed at enabling and encouraging students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

"I am committed to using my platform to inspire and make a difference, and one way I believe I can make an impact is through access and exposure to STEM education," Ledecky said. "I am thankful to my partner Panasonic, who supports this initiative and shares my vision of empowering the next generation of students to have opportunities in these important disciplines."

"A technology company like Panasonic depends on skilled STEM talent to advance our sustainable solutions for the future of transportation, food retail, immersive entertainment and much more," said Lauren Sallata, chief marketing officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America. "Supporting Katie Ledecky's Dive Into STEM Education is a natural outgrowth of Panasonic's longstanding contributions to tomorrow's workforce by investing in education. We're proud to partner with Katie to inspire the next generation of doers."

Katie Ledecky's Dive Into STEM Education powered by Panasonic will reach middle schools in five markets: the San Francisco Bay Area; Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Denver, Co.; and Reno, Nev. Ledecky and Panasonic have chosen education-technology company EVERFI to help deliver the program into schools.

Ledecky, a 22-year-old Stanford University student and Bethesda, MD native, is the current world-record holder in the women's 400, 800 and 1500-meter freestyle events, and her combined 15 world championships and five Olympic gold medals are the most in history for a female swimmer. She made her international debut as the youngest American participant in any sport at the 2012 London Olympics when she was just 15-years-old, winning a gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle and breaking an American Record that had stood for more than two decades.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Ledecky was the U.S. Olympic Committee's Female Athlete of the Games, breaking two World Records and adding four more golds in the 200, 400 and 800-meter freestyle and 4x200-meter freestyle relay, as well as a silver in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay while still the youngest member of the U.S. swim team. Ledecky turned pro in 2018 after swimming collegiately at Stanford, where she won 8 NCAA titles in her two seasons and helped lead the Cardinal to back-to-back NCAA team championships. Ledecky has broken World Records 14 times and American Records 37 times in her career, while capturing 34 international medals overall for Team USA. She has been recognized a record five times as female World Swimmer of the Year and six times as female American Swimmer of the Year.

The Academic All-American of the Year in 2017-18 across all NCAA Division I sports, Ledecky expects to contend in multiple events this summer at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Panasonic has long invested in programs and institutions that support the development of students, youth and tomorrow's workforce. For example, in Newark, NJ, home of Panasonic's North American headquarters, high school students intern at the company during the school year, gaining real-world experience in the corporate environment while applying tech skills in support of business projects. Most recently, the Panasonic Foundation launched "Coding as a Second Language" computer coding academies in collaboration with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, which introduces and teaches computer programming to Latino youth. The program makes pathways in tech accessible to underrepresented minorities and transforms communities by providing access to technology where there is otherwise little available.

About Panasonic Corporation of North America

Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is committed to creating a better life and a better world by enabling its business-to-business customers through innovations in Sustainable Energy, Immersive Entertainment, Integrated Supply Chains and Mobility Solutions. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation. One of Interbrand's Top 100 Best Global Brands of 2018, Panasonic is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. Learn more about Panasonic's ideas and innovations at www.na.panasonic.com/us and @PanasonicUSA on all social media channels.

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About EVERFI

EVERFI is an international technology company driving social change through education to address the most challenging issues affecting society ranging from financial wellness to prescription drug safety to workplace conduct and other critical topics. Founded in 2008, EVERFI is fueled by its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) community engagement platform and has reached more than 30 million learners globally. EVERFI powers community engagement in a sustained manner to empower individuals and organizations to make an impact within their communities. To learn more about EVERFI visit everfi.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter @EVERFI.

SOURCE Panasonic Corporation of North America