Fort Collins, Colorado, May 01, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- No Barriers USA and Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced the selection of 20 middle and high school educators who will serve as project leaders for the third annual Global Impact Challenge.
The diversity and inclusion competition is designed to spark the best ideas from students for building a world free of barriers, stereotypes and discrimination. Now in its third year, the goal of the challenge is to equip a greater number of teachers and students with the tools necessary to dream big and break down barriers in their communities.
“We've seen the impact the Global Impact Challenge has had, not only on the educators and students who have participated directly but on their schools and local communities,” said No Barriers Director of Education Andrea Delorey. “This program has put students in the driver’s seat in bringing together people with and without disabilities to raise awareness of the benefits of inclusion while developing relevant skills for their future."
The educators selected for the 2019 Global Impact Challenge include:
- Jeremy Aten - North Windy Ridge Intermediate - Weaverville, NC
- Olivia Chadwick - Guilderland High School - Guilderland, NY
- Kristen Conrad - Disability Network Northern Michigan - Traverse City, MI
- Bonnie Cowen - Compass Collaborative School - Fort Collins, CO
- Ryan Crete - Hudsonville High School - Hudsonville, MI
- DeWayne Crowder - Carrollton City Schools - Carrollton, GA
- Crystal Harden - Green Street Academy - Baltimore, MD
- Andrew Hinerfeld - Conrad Ball Middle School - Loveland, CO
- Deborah Massengill - Enloe High School - Raleigh, NC
- Carly McQuown - Wicomico County Public Schools - Salisbury, MD
- Leah Mueller - State College Area School District Delta Program - State College, PA
- Jennifer O’Brien - Gardens School of Technology Arts - Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- Erika Sanchez - KidWorks Community Development Corporation - Santa Ana, CA
- Lauren Sarnese - Pace Center for Girls - Lakeland, FL
- Tova Sprecher-Markowitz - Far Rockaway High School - New York, NY
- Erica Szilagyi - Collier County Public Schools - Naples, FL
- McKenna Taylor - San Francisco United School District - San Francisco, CA
- Chantha Toem - Boys & Girls Club of Boston - Boston, MA
- Kenneth Waters - St. Andrew's Episcopal School - Potomac, MD
- Ashley Young - Round Rock ISD - Round Rock, TX
“Wells Fargo has been a proud sponsor of the Global Impact Challenge since its inception in 2017,” said Kathy Martinez, head of Disability and Accessibility Strategy at Wells Fargo. “We are truly amazed by the projects to date and look forward to following the 2019 class of teachers and students as they generate new ideas for making the world a more diverse and inclusive place to live.”
The 20 selected teachers will:
- Attend a training program as part of the No Barriers Summit in Lake Tahoe, Calif., June 13–15.
- Create a team of students of mixed abilities and backgrounds who will develop and fine-tune their ideas over the course of six workshops.
- Present their team solutions to a volunteer selection committee with expertise in the field of diversity and inclusion in December 2019.
Finalists will be awarded up to $5,000 to launch their Global Impact Challenge projects in their communities and given the opportunity to attend the 2020 No Barriers Summit in San Francisco to present their project.
###
About No Barriers
What barriers do you face? This question lies at the heart of our organization. Whether in our personal lives, at work, or in our communities, we all face challenges that can prevent us from reaching our full potential. At No Barriers, we believe that what’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way. No Barriers empowers people of all walks of life to overcome obstacles, live a life of purpose, and give back to the world, all through our ground-breaking curriculum, the No Barriers Life.
The No Barriers Youth program helps middle and high school youth develop through experiential learning, collaborative problem-solving, service learning, and field-based experiences. Educator-focused programs include professional development and curriculum resources.
Learn more about No Barriers at www.nobarriersusa.org
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,700 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 33 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 262,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2018 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
Attachment
