Whom You Know: #LenovoScholars LENOVO SCHOLAR NETWORK WELCOMES 68 NEW ACADEMIES NATIONWIDE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF STEM EDUCATION NAF AND LENOVO WILL NOW SERVE 5,000 STUDENTS IN 21 STATES IN PROGRAM’S FOURTH YEAR

Sunday, September 24, 2017

#LenovoScholars LENOVO SCHOLAR NETWORK WELCOMES 68 NEW ACADEMIES NATIONWIDE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF STEM EDUCATION NAF AND LENOVO WILL NOW SERVE 5,000 STUDENTS IN 21 STATES IN PROGRAM’S FOURTH YEAR

Lenovo and its nonprofit partner focused on high school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education, NAF, today announced that 68 new NAF academies have been selected to join the Lenovo Scholar Network for the 2017-18 school year. This brings the number of NAF Lenovo Scholar Network academies across the U.S. to 118, serving 5,000 students in 21 states.

The Lenovo Scholar Network, now in its fourth year, provides comprehensive STEM education and mobile app development opportunities to underserved high school students across the nation. 57 of the 68 academies joining the Lenovo Scholar Network this school year will offer mobile app development to students for the very first time.

NAF and Lenovo initially announced the expansion of the Lenovo Scholar Network earlier this spring with the news of a $1 million grant from Lenovo. The grant provides funding and Lenovo technology over the next three years for select NAF academies and opens the Lenovo Scholar Network program to all NAF academy themes – finance, information technology, health sciences, hospitality and tourism, and engineering – with the goal of advancing STEM education and opportunities to more than 10,000 additional students over the next three years.

Students from a recent Benjamin Franklin High School Launch Event

In conjunction with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) App Inventor, now part of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL), Lenovo Scholar Network students also have the opportunity to develop Android mobile apps using Lenovo devices as part of an annual national app challenge. Lenovo and NAF created the Mobile App Development Competition in 2014 to encourage greater interest among underserved high school students in STEM subjects, while also providing them with entrepreneurial and technology skills needed to pursue careers in computer science, programming, and engineering. NAF and MIT collaborate to provide technical assistance to Lenovo Scholar Network participants, and to develop support materials for teachers using MIT App Inventor.

Students from Pathways Academy of Tech and Design

New Lenovo Scholarship Network partnership benefits include allowing students to earn NAFTrack Certification credit, part of Lenovo’s commitment as a NAFTrack Certified Hiring Partner, and expanding engagement opportunities with Lenovo, including Lenovo in the Classroom volunteer events.

The 68 Academies that have been invited by NAF to join the Lenovo Scholar Network beginning in the 2017-2018 academic year can be found at http://lenovoscholars.com/participants/.

To learn more about the Lenovo Scholar Network and follow along with students’ app creation journey, visit www.lenovoscholars.com or check out #LenovoScholars on social media.

“The growth we’ve achieved over the last four years in this program is an incredible testament to not only the success of our partnership with NAF but the real-world, critical skills the Lenovo Scholar Network offers to NAF students. We are thrilled to welcome all the new academies and their students to the Lenovo Scholar Network and continue the important work of cultivating the next generation of developers and entrepreneurs.” – Rob Cato, executive director, Public Sector, Workstation & OEM Sales at Lenovo.

“Lenovo and NAF are thrilled to welcome our new NAF academies to the Lenovo Scholar Network for the 2017-18 school year and are extremely proud of the tremendous growth – it is a major milestone. We are grateful to Lenovo for their continued commitment and dedication to our partnership and together we will continue to bring vital STEM skills to thousands more students across the nation.” – JD Hoye, NAF President

# # #

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$43 billion global Fortune 500 company and a leader in providing innovative consumer, commercial, and enterprise technology. Our portfolio of high-quality, secure products and services covers PCs (including the legendary Think and multimode YOGA brands), workstations, servers, storage, smart TVs and a family of mobile products like smartphones (including the Motorola brand), tablets and apps. Join us on LinkedIn, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@Lenovo) or visit us at www.lenovo.com.

About NAF

NAF is a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure that high school students are college, career, and future ready.

NAF works with high need communities to transform the high school experience through an educational design that includes industry-specific curricula, work-based learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals, culminating in a paid internship. NAF academies fit within and enhance school systems, allowing NAF to become an integral part of a plan for higher achievement at a low cost. NAF academies focus on one of five career themes: finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. During the 2016-17 school year, more than 96,000 students attended 675 NAF academies across 36 states, including D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2016, NAF academies reported 96% of seniors graduated with 92% of graduates with post-secondary intentions. For more information, please visit: https://naf.org/

Recent Testimonials by Brand Ambassadors on their Experience with Whom You Know

"I work with Peachy Deegan because she's prolific at what she does. She's a hard worker, she's thoughtful and she's tasteful at what she writes which is very important. Peachy gets the facts correct, and just that alone is worth its weight in gold."

-Edward Tricomi, Master Stylist and Owner of Warren-Tricomi
https://warrentricomi.com/

"No one has yet to express their taste for our cuisine better than Peachy Deegan on Whom You Know. Thank you for transforming our flavor into words, unlike any other before.
Sometimes WHOM YOU KNOW, really makes a difference and Ammos Estiatorio is grateful to know Peachy Deegan!"
-
Dimitris Nakos, Founder and Owner of
Ammos Estiatorio
https://ammosnewyork.com/

“Whom You Know has done an amazing job of featuring our company over many years [seven]. Peachy has worked tirelessly to create a well-curated selection of topics and brands that are clearly of relevance to her growing audience of readers. Her articles are filled with great insights based on first-hand experience. She does her research, knows her business and is a pleasure to work with!”

-David Sasuga, Owner of Fresh Origins Microgreens
www.FreshOrigins.com

"Peachy Deegan has the pulse of the nation and highlights exceptional opinion leaders in more than 23,000 inspiring and entertaining posts. Her 100,000 twitter followers are a true testimony to Peachy’s ability to inspire, motivate and entertain. She is a feminine force to be reckoned with and an exemplary example of an influential voice in today’s world."

-Mica Mosbacher, author of the new book The Hurricane Factor: Stormside Patriots and tv political commentator

"It was an honour to be chosen for Movers and Shakers by Peachy Deegan. The questions in the interview were intelligent and insightful and I thoroughly enjoyed answering them. The reaction to the interview has been overwhelmingly positive and has helped bring my art practice to a wider audience."
-Damien Flood, Internationally Acclaimed Artist
http://www.damienflood.ie/

"We were so fortunate to hit Peachy’s radar. Her review of our Warmies was spot-on and came at a great time in our company’s early history.
Peachy has such a strong relationship with her readers. She provides honest and real comments; she is truly a trusted source in a very large circle
of consumers."
-Scott Wehrs
President
Intelex U.S.A.
http://www.intelexusallc.com/

"We at Primola love working with Whom You Know and are proud to have been a highly-ranked Manhattan restaurant by Peachy Deegan since 2012, and are featured seasonally. We appreciate the fantastic work Peachy does highlighting our cuisine with her sublime writing style and the whole neighborhood of the Upper East side. Also, we are glad that she has started a Made in Italy column! If you have the opportunity to be considered for review, we'd highly recommend working with her."
-Giuliano Zuliani, Owner of Primola Restaurant
https://www.facebook.com/Primola-Canaletto-restaurants-NYC-135616799831091

"
Peachy Deegan is a gem. She is wonderful to feature our Irish brands in 'Whom You Know'! The articles are beautifully and passionately presented, bringing products and brands to life, making both relevant and fun for her many faithful followers to read. I am immensely proud for our hand-crafted products to be included in this venue!"

-
Bill Follett
President, Belleek Group North America
www.Belleek.com

"As you know from my past features, Peachy Deegan and I were in the same class at Boston College prior to either of us becoming entrepreneurs. When we played together on the BC Alumni softball team in Central Park years ago, she mentioned she could not find a great dentist in Manhattan and could often be found networking on her phone in the outfield hiding from the ball. She was my second patient ever in 2006 when I opened my dental practice; I was one of the first sponsors on Whom You Know and the first Mover and Shaker featured in 2009 and have worked with her continuously since. She's even talked her friends that are doctors into being my patients, and they subsequently send their hospital colleagues. I don't know anyone that is as great of a networker and writer as Peachy, nevermind that she is upstanding and always good for her word. Cosmopolitan Dental is so happy to be in the company of the caliber of major brands she works with today, and although she will tell you a million ways to get your teeth dirty between Peachy's Picks, Terrific Takeout and Peachy's Pantry, Peachy Deegan will tell you there is only one way to get your teeth clean!"
-Dr. Garo Nazarian, Founder and Owner of Cosmopolitan Dental
http://cosmopolitandental.com/