Google.org, the search giant's philanthropic arm, has announced a $250,000 donation to Pennsylvania 4-H, the state arm of a nationwide youth development organization. Alongside this announcement, the company hosted 4-H students at its Pittsburgh offices.
The $250,000 will be sub-granted to the National 4-H Council, which will then distribute the funds to the Pennsylvania 4-H Connected Communities AI and Agriculture Initiatives program. This program was developed to help train students from rural areas to utilize AI effectively. Alongside the funding, 4-H will utilize Google AI learning resources and provide educators with a self-paced digital course to learn more about generative AI.
"Mentorship and career training are essential for setting young people up for lifelong success," National 4-H Council President and CEO Jill Bramble said in a prepared statement. "The Pennsylvania 4-H Connected Communities AI and Agriculture Initiatives will expose youth to AI applications across different industries. This collaboration will help them discover exciting career paths that align with their interests as they prepare for both work and life."
Also in attendance was Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who also serves as CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet Inc. Google's presence in the Pittsburgh region has often been attributed for the growth of the local artificial intelligence cluster.
"Google has proudly called Pennsylvania home for over 15 years, with an office in Pittsburgh," Google.org Vice President Maggie Johnson said in a prepared statement. "We're committed to Pennsylvania's students and their future. Through our support for 4-H, we're proud to provide young people across the state with foundational AI skills to help them reach their full potential and access new opportunities."
