Apple's Community Education Initiative expands to 600 global communities

Apple originally established its CEI program in 2019 with a focus on bringing coding to historically black schools in Tennessee. Now it's announced that it is working in over 600 communities worldwide, and partnering with over 150 educational organizations.

"What astonishes me the most is what we've been able to accomplish in such a short period of time because of this unique partnership with Apple," said Dr. Kamal Hamdan, director of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in a statement.

"Thousands of students who would have never had access to this type of learning have gone though one of our programs," he continued, "and you can't put a dollar amount on those experiences."

"It's a testament to the fact that when two organizations with like-minded values put their hearts and their heads toward a common goal," said Dr. Hamdan, "the sky is the limit in terms of how many lives we can change."

CSUDH and Apple first worked together two years ago, and since then have brought coding clubs and opportunities to more than 2,000 students and teachers across greater Los Angeles.

Including CSUDH, Apple says it now has CEI partners in 29 states, plus the District of Columbia. Through virtual programming sessions, all 50 states have had exposure to the benefits of CEI, as well as 99 countries and regions.

"We believe education is a powerful force for equity, helping learners discover the tools they need to lift up their communities and shape the future," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives.

"We're thrilled to continue to expand our Community Education Initiative," she continued, "so that students of all ages have access to world-class learning opportunities, regardless of their zip code."