* Outstanding Individual Commitment to Collaboration: Anita Krishnamurthi, STEM Policy Director, Afterschool Alliance * Outstanding Organizational Commitment to Collaboration: Google ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA - April 25, 2012 The collaborative model of the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) is transforming the way practitioners and educators work to advance girls participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. NGCP facilitates collaboration among diverse organizations committed to informing and encouraging girls in STEM to leverage resources, share exemplary practices, and to reduce isolation in the field. By providing targeted professional development opportunities, including this national conference, NGCP supports practitioners and increases their capacity to deliver high-quality STEM programs to the girls they serve. In recognition of our collaborative philosophy, NGCP leadership has chosen to create the Collaboration Awards to celebrate and bring attention to the important work of special individuals and organizations that live and breathe collaboration to achieve their vision. OUTSTANDING COLLABORATION: INDIVIDUAL We have chosen Dr. Anita Krishnamurthi, STEM Policy Director for the Afterschool Alliance, as our 2012 individual recipient of this award. The expertise Dr. Krishnamurthi provides for the Afterschool Alliance is adding great value to the programs that are part of the NGCP network. She works to share information and resources that inspire others to be collaborative. This reflects our passion at NGCP. As a scientist, she personally feels the urgency of expanding STEM learning opportunities and providing equitable access for a diverse group of children and youth. She strongly believes that the collaborative nature of afterschool programs plays a critically important role in reforming STEM education and that these programs must be treated as strategic partners in STEM education. Anita joined the Afterschool Alliance in June 2010 after serving as the John Bahcall Public Policy Fellow for the American Astronomical Society. OUTSTANDING COLLABORATION: ORGANZIATION We have chosen Google as the 2012 organizational recipient of the award. In 2011, Google gave more than $100 million to various organizations around the world - including causes considered particularly important: science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education; girls' education; and empowerment through technology. Google believes that behind every successful student is an exceptional educator, and that exceptional educators come from innovative and empowered communities. Google's commitment to the open web, free products, and collaborative work culture represents key elements of the NGCP collaborative model. We are proud to be presenting the NGCP Collaboration Awards at the 2012 Collaboration Conference where more than 150 practitioners from around the United States will celebrate collaboration. The goals of the Collaboration Conference are to increase collaboration between local girl-serving STEM practitioners and with national experts, increase access to resources such as exemplary program practices, models and resources, and to provide training and opportunities to collaborate on a local, regional, and national level. The award presentation will occur during the Collaboration Award Lunch on Friday, April 27, 2012 beginning at 12:45pm at the Westin Alexandria in Alexandria, Virginia. . About the National Girls Collaborative Project: Over the past almost 10 years, NGCP has created a powerful network of organizations, programs and individuals, that indirectly reaches more than 5 million girls. The vision of the NGCP is to bring together organizations throughout the United States that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The goals of the NGCP are to: * Maximize access to shared resources within projects and with public and private sector organizations and institutions interested in expanding girls' participation in STEM. * Strengthen capacity of existing and evolving projects by sharing promising practice research and program models, outcomes and products. * Use the leverage of a network or collaboration of individual girl-serving STEM programs to create the tipping point for gender equity in STEM. Visit the project website for more information: www.ngcproject.org<http://www.ngcproject.org>. NGCP 2012 Collaboration Conference Sponsors: * Collaboration Visionary: Google * Collaboration Champions: Motorola Mobility Foundation * Collaboration Leaders: Girls Scouts of the USA and the National Center for Women & Information Technology - ## - Karen A. Peterson, Chief Executive Officer, EdLab Group & Principal Investigator, National Girls Collaborative Project voice: 425.977.4750 kpeterson@edlabgroup.org<mailto:kpeterson@edlabgroup.org> www.edlabgroup.org<http://www.edlabgroup.org>