Computer science program that builds technology skills while promoting social justice returns for 2023 with an enhanced curriculum for middle and high school students
Twin Flames joins First Nations Artists Jayli Wolf, Dakota Bear, and Samian in lesson plan and Amazon Music playlist
TORONTO, March 3, 2023 /CNW/ - Amazon Canada and TakingITGlobal are proud to launch the 2023 edition of Your Voice is Power, an educational program and remix competition that teaches coding skills to middle and high school students using music from Indigenous artists. After engaging more than 5,000 students in its inaugural year, Your Voice is Power has expanded for 2023 to include new songs from artists Twin Flames and an enhanced curriculum that leverages music and technology as vehicles to promote social justice.
Your Voice is Power is a flagship initiative of Amazon Future Engineer Canada, a computer science and STEM education program that seeks to afford all young people the opportunity to explore their potential. A 2020 report from the Conference Board of Canada in partnership with Future Skills Centre estimates that less than 2 per cent of people working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations are Indigenous.
"At Amazon, we are committed to empowering children and young adults to learn new skills that will give them more opportunities," said Cynthia Caglar, Head of Amazon Future Engineer Canada. "Your Voice is Power gives students and teachers an introduction to coding while demonstrating how music and computer science can be tools to advance social justice. Our goal is to help more young people – especially those from underrepresented backgrounds – develop a passion that can lead to exciting academic and career opportunities over the long term."
"Your Voice is Power surpassed all expectations in 2022, as thousands of teachers and students across Canada showed tremendous enthusiasm for the opportunity to blend a unique technology learning experience with reflection on Indigenous and Canadian histories," said Anishinaabe educator Christine M'lot, who led curriculum development on behalf of TakingITGlobal. "The goal in 2023 is to add new stories, experiences and music from First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists to engage new participants while allowing our previous cohort to continue to build their skills and discover the potential of computer science for their future education and career."
The Your Voice is Power curriculum is available at no cost to teachers and students in grades 7 through 12. The curriculum was built by TakingITGlobal with extensive year-long collaborations that involved hundreds of hours of consultation and review. The Cloud Innovation Centre at the University of British Columbia (UBC), which is a private/public collaboration between Amazon Web Services (AWS) and UBC, facilitated connections to Indigenous experts, students and alumni as well as to UBC faculty.
The Your Voice is Power lesson plan features eight modules that teach the basics of coding while engaging students in discussions on the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis experience in Canada, including topics like Residential Schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action. Students will remix music from Indigenous artists Jayli Wolf, Dakota Bear, Samian, and Twin Flames using EarSketch, a free online code editor that will be available in English, French, Ojibwe, and Inuktitut. All participants will be encouraged to submit their remixes to a competition in which two winners – one Indigenous, one identifying as an ally – will receive $5,000 (CAD) scholarships, donated by Amazon.
Amazon Music 'Your Voice is Power' Playlist
Amazon Music subscribers in Canada are able to stream an exclusive Your Voice is Power playlist featuring songs by artists including Twin Flames, Jayli Wolf, Dakota Bear, Samian, and many others featured in the program. This playlist features music celebrating themes of perseverance and determination, showcasing foundational moments in music spanning 30+ years of music making.
"It's an honour to have our music included in Your Voice is Power. By connecting young people with different perspectives on the Indigenous experience in Canada, the program shares our goal of using music to build bridges across cultures and with history. Your Voice is Power is an opportunity to build important skills while reflecting on powerful stories, and we wish all participants a wonderful learning experience." - Chelsey June, Twin Flames
"I am so excited to be a part of Your Voice is Power again this year. It's vital that we close the gaps in the STEM economy for Indigenous people. The program pushes Indigenous youth forward by focusing on education through the creative process of coding with music." - Jayli Wolf
"The goal of the UBC Community Health and Wellbeing CIC, powered by AWS, is to work on projects that provide a material benefit to society. Increasing representation of Indigenous students in coding professions is one such benefit, and we look forward to its realization. We've already received inquiries for best practices on how to adapt the curriculum to other indigenous groups in other geographies." - Marianne Schroeder, Director, Cloud Innovation Centre, The University of British Columbia
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SOURCE Amazon Canada
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