Schools
UCS senior honored by the White House as a champion of change for computer science
Christina Li only Michigan resident to be honored Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
The White House has announced that a Utica Community Schools senior is one of nine individuals to be named a “White House Champions of Change for Computer Science Education.”
Senior Christina Li was selected by the White House for her leadership and innovation in expanding access to computer science education and for inspiring the next generation to use 21st century tools to better their communities.
In issuing the honor, the White House wrote:
“Christina Li is a senior at Adlai E. Stevenson High School and the Utica Center for Math, Science, and Technology. She is the Vice President of Controls for her FIRST robotics on team #217 the ThunderChickens.
“Christina created Hello World, a week-long Computer Science day camp for thirty middle school girls to learn how to code robots, apps, websites, and games. Through the program, Christina hosted online and in-person meetings with female computer engineers from Google, Microsoft, the Michigan Council for Women in Technology and Ford Motors, and field trips to the Microsoft Tech Center, Google Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan.
“Through Hello World, Christina aims to help lower the gender gap in computer science.”
Li is the only Michigan resident and one of two high school students earning the national recognition.
Li and the other eight honorees will be honored at a special ceremony at the White House on Tuesday.
The program will feature remarks by Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, Acting Secretary for the United States Department of Education John King, Chief Technology Officer of the United States Megan Smith, actress and director Gillian Jacobs, and co-founder and executive director of Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls Meredith Walker.
The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.
The event will be live streamed on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov/live/ on Tuesday, January 26, at 1:00 PM ET.
To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program, visit www.whitehouse.gov/champions.
