PORTLAND, ORE. – May 17, 2013 –TechStart Education Foundation will launch its new Innovation Academy on Saturday, May 18 at Franklin High School in Southeast Portland from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Students from Franklin and Wilson High Schools will showcase a mobile application they developed that allows the Portland Police to better collaborate with the community to improve neighborhood safety.

“It's important for the Portland Police Bureau to share public safety information as soon as possible. This innovative application designed by students, provides quick access to crime alerts and tips on how each of us can help keep our community safe, said Portland Police Chief Mike Reese. “I am especially pleased that students from Franklin and Wilson High School developed this application in collaboration with business leaders and the Portland Police Bureau. It has been a unique partnership and we look forward to an ongoing relationship with Tech for Tomorrow as they continue to create cutting-edge solutions that help improve our community."

The Innovation Academy is designed to facilitate project-based learning that will equip students with the skills they need to drive Oregon’s growing digital economy while developing technologies that have real community impact. All students, teachers, and industry professionals are invited to participate in the Innovation Academy launch event.

The Innovation Academy is a being developed as a collaboration between TechStart, SUN and Ideal Portland, and has support from organizations like the White House Office of Science and Technology’s Inclusion Round Table, Microsoft Research, the America 21 project, Technology Association of Oregon, and the City of Portland and Portland Development Commission. Initial funding for the Tech for Tomorrow initiative is being provided by a $30,000 grant from Jive Software. Innovation Academy teams will work over the summer to create new technology solutions that will be showcased when the school year resumes in the fall. Like the group of Franklin and Wilson students who began working on the Portland Police application, teams will have mentorship from industry experts and work with community organizations.

The area’s technology companies and community-focused organizations are encouraged to attend the launch and contact TechStart to learn more about how to get involved and support the Innovation Academy’s summer team projects. The Innovation Academy is particularly interested in software developers and designers who would be interested in lending their time and expertise to inspire a high school student to enter the field of science, technology, engineering or math. For more information on how to get involved and become a volunteer, please visit techstart.org

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MEDIA CONTACT: Blu Print Public Relations Kristin Whitney, 503-750-7463

Tech Start CONTACT: Randy Macdonald TechStart 503-806-6359 randy@techstart.org

Teams will work collaboratively to build software applications and other technology-based solutions that solve real world problems that exist within our community. The solutions that will emerge from these teams will be known as “Innovation for the Common Good.”

The region’s first “Innovation Academy” will be launching at Franklin High School (5405 SE Woodward St, Portland) on Saturday, May 18 from 2-5pm. The launch will offer students the opportunity to form project teams that will meet over the summer to work on their projects with industry mentors. New solutions in areas such as education, the environment, energy and public safety will be explored.

Attendees at the launch event will preview a new community safety mobile app that is being developed by a team of Franklin and Wilson High School students working with industry experts and the Portland Police Bureau. Designed to improve communication and collaboration between district police officers and the neighborhoods that they serve, the new mobile app is an example of the kind of impact student-based innovation can bring to Oregon. All students, teachers, industry professionals and passionate individuals are welcome to participate in the launch event. Once teams have been formed and projects are begun, their solutions will be demonstrated in a large community celebration when the school year resumes next fall.

Focused on creating new ways for students, teachers and industry professionals to collaborate, the Innovation Academy grew out of the new TechStart initiative “Tech for Tomorrow”. Its approach emphasizes the opportunity for students to gain the skills and contacts needed to succeed in the digital economy. The tight timelines, project-based nature, and the professional mentoring of students creates an engaging, practical format for gaining professional skills while enhancing our entire community.

The joint initiative of TechStart, SUN, and Ideal Portland is being launched in collaboration with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Technology Inclusion Round Table, Microsoft Research, the American 21 Project, Technology Association of Oregon (TAO), Society for Information Management (SIM), Saturday Academy, Portland Workforce Alliance, City of Portland, Portland Development Commission and inspired by the Office of Oregon Governor Kitzhaber’s Scale Up event.

We need volunteers (group facilitators, setup, teardown, etc.). To volunteer, click here.

To attend one of the most dynamic educational opportunities in Oregon, click here.

For questions, contact Randy MacDonald or Kathy Zettl-Schaffer.

Read more in our press release.

Thanks to a generous donation by Cambia Health Solutions, TechStart is able to formally recognize two of Oregon’s top educators in 2012 and support their continued commitment to excellence in the classroom!