2021 Volunteers of The Year
Bold Idea is excited to announce its Volunteers of the Year for the 2020-2021 program year - Kris Fawcett and John Bianchini.
When deciding on the recipients of this award, we always consider the volunteers who were crucial to our success for the year. Kris and John have gone above and beyond in their contributions to Bold Idea not only this year but the past few years. Their passion for computer science education, care for students, advocacy for Bold Idea, and flexibility to make changes and adapt on the fly make them indispensable to Bold Idea.
Outstanding Mentors: Online and At School
Kris leading demo presentations for virtual students in ideaSpark
Kris Fawcett, a technology professional working at Cardinal Financial, has served as a Mentor and Team Captain with the ideaSpark Coding Clubs since 2018 - both at The Mix Coworking Space and Samuell Grand Community Center. This year, he mentored online for both the fall and spring semesters. Clocking in this year with 175 cumulative volunteer hours, Kris is one of Bold Idea’s longest-serving volunteers. Students and fellow mentors have always had good things to say about Kris. He has an ability to connect with students and help them solve problems and make sure that mentors and students are ready to learn every week.
“Kris is very patient and encouraging. In every session, he made it a priority to solve every issue and answer every question possible. Even when there were times where we were all confused, Kris was able to get us out of any sticky situation we’d find ourselves in one way or another!”
John (far right) at MB Henderson Demo Day event in 2019.
John Bianchini, an IT professional at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, is a Mentor and a Team Captain at our Margaret B Henderson Elementary and Greiner Middle School ideaSpark Coding Clubs in Dallas ISD. John has been working with Bold Idea since 2019 and has been a strong force for Henderson and Greiner’s Coding Clubs’ growth and Bold Idea’s continued relationship with the Federal Reserve Bank. John is dedicated to making sure that all students at Henderson are able to access Bold Idea’s programs and get the most out of the learning experience.
“He has always been there for the kids, supporting and understanding to all the needs of the students. I also have learned from him that sometimes there is a hidden treasure under a child and I was able to see many of the students shine. Some of the students I would not have imagined that they were able to do the work but the kids were engaged and eager to learn. He is the best!!!!!”
Not only do mentors and teachers appreciate John, so do the students! Many mentors have shared how much the students enjoy seeing John each week. When John stepped down from serving as the Team Captain at Henderson Elementary this year, our teacher liaison conveyed that he had to reassure all of the returning students that John would still be around, because they feared not seeing him again.
John and Kris represent the two program branches - in-school and open-enrollment Coding Clubs - where volunteer mentors help students discover and build skills in computer science. Whether they are online, at a local community center, or an after-school club at their school, Bold Idea students get the chance to learn with amazing mentors like Kris and John.
Above and Beyond
Both Kris and John go above and beyond their duties as Mentors or Team Captains, showing their passion for computer science education and being advocates for Bold Idea students.
This past spring, Kris showed true dedication to Bold Idea’s programs, offering to jump to other Clubs that needed extra mentors. Halfway through the spring semester, he willingly took on a mentoring role with another Club and was mentoring twice a week! Through all of this, he still maintained a positive attitude and built relationships with the students in each of his groups.
Kris also has a mind towards supporting Bold Idea’s mission beyond mentoring. Thanks to his advocacy, we received a large number of refurbished laptops. allowing us to start our Laptop Donation Program. During the 2020-2021 program year, 26% of open-enrollment students received a laptop that allowed them to participate in Bold Idea’s programs from home.
John has been a strong advocate for Bold Idea’s programs with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, recruiting mentors and making sure that each student has what they need to succeed. This spring when we added Greiner Middle School to the Bank’s school support, he worked as a mentor with each mentoring team to ensure that both Clubs ran smoothly.
John and Kris both are volunteers and mentors who have gone above and beyond in their mentorship roles to ensure that our students and our programs are successful. We are fortunate to have them on our team.
Thank you, John and Kris!
She Belongs Here
Hear from Bold Idea mentors about their experiences as women in computer science careers.
Bold Idea is committed to contributing to a diverse future workforce, including more women in computer science. Bold Idea students learn that computer science can open so many doors for them in their careers and our mentors are an important part of that. Our mentors show students that anyone can be computer scientists and the women of Bold Idea especially show our students that women belong and can succeed in the technology field just as much as men.
In celebration of Women’s History Month - we interviewed a few Bold Idea mentors about their experiences as women in tech. Hear from Abigail, Caroline, and Allison about their career aspirations as young women, how they discovered technology and coding, and what they wish for the young women they mentor today through Bold Idea.
What first got you interested in coding and technology? When did you know this would be your career path?
Abigail: “My life partner got me interested in the tech field. I loved Graphic Design and he suggested I learn Web Design to become more competitive in the job market, he even bought me an online Web Development course to get me started. I don't think I even know this will be my career path now lol. I love design, and I love making websites beautiful but I always love trying new things so who knows how many career paths I'll jump around between.”
Caroline: “When I was in middle school, they offered a class that was an intro to HTML. I got to create all sorts of fun things. By the time I was in the 8th grade, we did science competitions that required us to make websites and fill the webpages with our research. It was a great way to combine my schoolwork with coding.”
Allison: “I first became interested in technology when I took a computer science class in high school. I remember initially being hesitant to sign up for the class because it was unlike anything I had done before, but when I got my first program up and running, the initial worries were replaced by excitement. I knew that this would be my career path when I realized just how ubiquitous technology is in our lives and how it has the power to impact the world. Having the opportunity to work on something that could drastically better people's lives is something that was appealing and knowing that those opportunities were potentially limitless really pushed me to pursue this field.”
Did you have any role models who inspired you to pursue a career in technology - real or fictional? If not, how would a role model or mentor have affected your career path? What do you see as the benefit of mentoring for the girls whom you work with in Bold Idea?
Abigail: “I suppose my life partner inspired me to pursue this career. I have a few mentors at my current job and they have been invaluable to my career. They've helped me settle in when I was new and nervous, they've helped me to figure out a trajectory for my career to ensure I'm happy with the work I'm doing, and they've helped me to feel more confident as a woman in a male-dominated field. I really hope to help the girls in Bold Idea feel more confident working in this field, and feel like they belong here just as much as the boys.”
Caroline: “I came from an engineering town, so technology as a career always seemed possible. I guess it took others believing in me and pushing me to try new things that made me pursue this career. I think if I had believed in myself and my intelligence sooner I could have done a lot more. I truly saw it as a plausible career in graduate school when I took an actual coding class. I think if we showed girls how their schoolwork and technology play off each other, they would see more career possibilities. It's important to believe in yourself and have those around you push you to be your best.”
Allison: “In college, I had a female professor for one of my hardest classes. I was struggling on an assignment, so I went to her office hours to ask some questions, and we eventually began talking about the course as a whole. I mentioned that I found the material to be really challenging and I worried that I wasn't understanding everything. She asked me to show me the notes I took in class and looked back at some assignments I had submitted earlier, and when she asked why I thought I was struggling, I mentioned that it seemed like everyone else "got it" more than I did. She responded that my notes were organized, my assignments clearly had a lot of thought and effort go into them, and she didn't seem to think that I was struggling with the material, but with confidence. I remember her saying that just because the person next to you raises their hand for every question or finishes a task faster, doesn't mean they understand it better than I do. This conversation gave me the push I needed to recognize my own abilities, and I am incredibly grateful for her encouragement and support.
I think a benefit of mentoring the girls I work with at Bold Idea is showing them that it is possible to be a woman in technology. I see a lot of myself in them, being nervous and excited about tackling challenging material. I hope that by seeing me, someone who is establishing a career in STEM, they see that a tricky bug or a confusing issue is something they can overcome.”
What is your hope for the next generation of young female technologists, especially the girls you mentor in Bold Idea?
Abigail: “I hope to see the next generation of women in tech push the field to be more inclusive, accessible, and understanding. Right now this field can really push employees past breaking points, and we burn out quickly (regardless of how much craft beer and table tennis we're given access to). I hope that more women in the field can put a stop to that and ensure employees are treated like people. Tech also has a lot of issues with making sure products work for women, people of color, and people with disabilities since they're much less represented in the field. If we get more women, POC, and people with disabilities in tech, it will make tech more accessible to all.”
Caroline: “I wish for the girls in the next generation to be better than me. I want them to be brave enough to try and humble enough to ask for help. I want them to use their creativity to solve problems. The only way we can see more women in technology is to support them and be a guide. I want the next generation to get better jobs than me, have more opportunities than me, and feel less like that have to be perfect to worthy of a seat at the table. The only way to do this is for us to be advocates and mentors to girls as they grow.”
Allison: “I hope that the next generation of young female technologists has a community and a support system full of empowered, strong, and smart women around them. Female friends I made while studying computer science in college, female managers at work, and colleagues who understand the unique perspectives that women have are so incredibly important and enable everyone -- not just women -- to solve complicated problems.“
Caroline is a Consultant at Microsoft and has been a Bold Idea mentor since 2018
Abigail is a Software Developer at TEKsystems and has been a Bold Idea mentor since 2020
Allison is a Software Consultant at Pariveda and has been a Bold Idea mentor since 2020
Want to help us give the next generation of women in tech the skills they need to succeed? Sign up to be a mentor with us!
Meet Bold Idea Mentor Kendra
Meet Kendra Andersen, a consultant at Pariveda Solutions and Bold Idea Mentor. Learn about how her teachers introduced her to science in High School and what she is doing to bring that same impact to Bold Idea students.
What have you learned or gained from being a Bold Idea Mentor?
I've really enjoyed being able to work with younger kids again! I enjoy being able to look at computer science through the fresh eyes of someone new to it again and trying to learn how to help them understand it better.
What is you most memorable mentoring moment?
I've enjoyed being able to help a team of students figure out how to work together! Sometimes different students have varying strengths or skill levels and figuring out how to combine them for a project they all enjoy is a fun puzzle to solve!
How did you become interested in technology and programming?
I had a high school teacher to got me interested in engineering as a field. She was a great mentor to me and encouraged me to try challenging projects! Over the course of college, I was introduced to programming through a number of my classes and several design projects.
What did you study in college?
Electrical Engineering
What are some of your favorite hobbies or past times?
I enjoy swimming, biking, and doing art in my free time!
Is there anything you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I wish I could tell myself to try out coding at a earlier point in my life. It always seemed like a boy's thing in middle school, but that does not have to be the case!
What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
I really enjoy getting to introduce students to computer science concepts in a more creative manner than what they might experience in a classroom setting!