COMPETITION TO HOST 64 TEAMS IN A MULTI-STAGE ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CODE NATION, CHICAGO TECH ACADEMY, I C STARS AND YEARUP.
CHICAGO (July, 2023) — T4Youth, a Chicago-founded philanthropic organization that uses the power of table tennis to connect tech companies to aspiring young technologists in low-income circumstances, announced that it will return this year at a new venue. Killer Spin will be sponsoring the tournament this year and Canal Station, brought to you by JLL & The Telos Group, LLC (Telos), will be the sponsoring host.
Last year we raised over $140,000+ dollars to unlock new educational opportunities in tech for Chicago’s underserved youth. Over the course of its nine year history, T4Youth has donated over $700,000 for 501(c)(3)s that activate technology learning opportunities for Chicago’s youth.This kind of intentional community building is essential to finding, supporting, and launching the next generation of technology talent.
T4Youth focuses on increasing access to STEAM education because, across the country, only 25% of under-resourced high schools offer computer science (CS) classes, which limits the ability of their students to pursue careers in the growing tech industry. While Chicago was the first major city in the country to launch a CSforAll initiative and institute a CS high school graduation requirement, inequitable access remains a huge challenge. The annual ping-pong tournament has become driving force in bridging the divide between industry leaders and underserved youth.
Code Nation, Chicago Tech Academy, I C Stars and Yearup will be recipients of this year’s proceeds. Code Nation is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes tech communities to help young people gain the skills, experiences, and connections that together create access to careers in technology. Chicago Tech Academy (also known as ChiTech) is an educational community whose mission is to educate, empower, and connect a diverse next generation of entrepreneurial thinkers to discover their passions, succeed in college, and thrive in a digital world.
Since 1999, i.c.stars has been identifying, training, and jump-starting technology careers for low-income young adults who, although lacking access to education and employment, demonstrate extraordinary potential for success in the business world and for impact in their communities. In addition to driving impact through direct service and strategic partnerships with employers, talent providers, and policymakers, Year Up is committed to addressing the root causes of the Opportunity Divide in this country and creating pathways to opportunity at broad scale.