Tri County Tech student Yasmina Bruton received the National Center for Women & Information Technology Award for Aspirations in Computing on April 9.
The award, sponsored by Bank of America, recognizes 9th-12th grade women, genderqueer, or non-binary students for their computing-related achievements and interests as part of an effort to encourage a diverse range of students to choose careers in technology. The National Award is sponsored by Bank of America.
"Encouraging students who have historically been underrepresented in technology fields is critical," said NCWIT CEO and Executive Director Terry Hogan. "Computing underlies an increasing number of the products and systems we use every day, and to ensure they are beneficial to the broadest group of people possible, a diverse group of people must dream them and then create them."
Bruton joins four hundred award recipients selected from high schools across 50 states and the U.S. territories for their outstanding aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing. Bruton was honored for her accomplishments at Tri County Tech and Barnsdall High School.
Bruton has distinguished herself both in her Pre-Engineering program and as a member of Tri County Tech's FIRST Robotics Team 2165. She serves as the team programmer and also helps scout potential students to join.
"Yasmina [Bruton] has taken the robot to several schools and clubs to demonstrate the robot and encourage the younger generation to explore engineering, robots, and programming," Pre-Engineering Instructor Kendall Baker said. "She is highly motivated and always ready to learn and take on leadership roles."
She plans to use those skills in the future as she looks for internships and other opportunities to succeed in engineering.
"Tri County Tech has given me a community to grow and thrive in," Bruton said. "Without this community, I wouldn't be here today."
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Tri County Tech student Yasmina Bruton wins national computing award
