It’s no secret that today’s youth love smartphone technology, whether it’s to surf the web or video-chat with friends. Why are we not using similar technology in the classroom? This question was on the minds of Monica Gray and Annie Medaglia, who co-founded DreamWakers, a nonprofit that connects public school students with career speakers through Skype and Google Hangouts. Mariama Diop, an eighth-grader at Kipp Star College Prep Middle School, says her experience with DreamWakers has empowered her to feel “capable and inspired.”
Since its inception in 2012, Toyota has cultivated the Toyota Mothers of Invention program by not only awarding more than $1 million to these women-led companies with Driving Solutions grants, but also facilitating networking opportunities, building relevant connections, and providing access to intellectual capital to help their organizations go places. These women, who are leading the charge to work on issues like homelessness, education, food, water, energy, and more, come from all over the world, and are using innovation to create lasting and sustainable impact.
To learn more about Toyota’s Mothers of Invention, please click here.
