Deloitte Recognizes RightStep™ Innovation Prize Finalists, Focused on Advancing Education Outcomes Through Innovation and Technology

NEW YORK, April 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Deloitte, as part of its ongoing commitment to developing tomorrow's leaders, is convening education thought leaders including for-profit and non-profit entities to discuss education innovation. Those gathered will also celebrate the five finalists vying for the Deloitte RightStep™ Innovation Prize. The finalists – Beyond12, iMentor , Reasoning Mind, Strive for College, and uAspire – are innovative education organizations that have made meaningful impacts in advancing education outcomes through technology. A cash reward and the opportunity to receive pro bono services from Deloitte will help one of these organizations scale their demonstrated solutions.

Deloitte is hosting the event at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Deloitte's new "Greenhouse," an innovative environment that enhances the way Deloitte helps clients solve business challenges. CEOs/founders of some of the key education organizations that Deloitte teams with, including City Year, College Summit, Posse Foundation and New Profit, along with Diana O'Brien, chief marketing officer, Deloitte LLP, are participating in a panel to discuss disrupting the conventional sponsorship model and scaling for impact. Tomorrow each of the finalist organizations will present to a panel of Deloitte leaders who will be responsible for selecting the winner.

The competition, which launched in November, has engaged 90 Deloitte professionals during two rounds of intensive screenings to narrow down the initial pool of 116 applicants. The finalists were selected based on a number of criteria, including their commitment to underserved youth, their technology solution's level of innovation, how scalable their solution is in terms of impacting target beneficiaries, and how their mission aligns with Deloitte's education initiative.

"We are thrilled to have the leaders of some of our country's leading education organizations here today to share insights and make connections with our finalists. They are key players among the next generation of organizations that are positioned to scale for significant impact across education. They have experienced the value of commitments that extend beyond philanthropy, and can share their experiences and offer valuable insights," said Bill Copeland, vice chairman, U.S. Life Sciences & Health Care leader, U.S. Health Plans leader and Corporate Citizenship Education champion, Deloitte LLP.

"The prize connects two top priorities for Deloitte: fostering innovation and supporting future talent. Innovative solutions will help today's students prepare to be tomorrow's leaders, and Deloitte is stepping up to make investments that will help encourage that," said Global Chief Innovation Officer John Levis, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.

Deloitte anticipates announcing the winner in early May. For a complete overview of the prize including rules and regulations, please visit: http://www.deloitte.com/us/deloitte-rightstep-innovation

About Deloitte's RightStep™ Programs
A classroom full of children or young adults is never just that – at Deloitte, we see a room full of CEOs, CFOs, doctors, public servants, and teachers to name a few. But we're doing more than seeing their potential. We're taking steps to help them achieve success. Through our RightStep™ programs, Deloitte is helping these children unleash their full potential by building confidence, inspiring leadership, fostering trust and taking the right steps to build brighter futures.

RightStep™ is part of Deloitte's larger commitment to Corporate Citizenship. Deloitte's Corporate Citizenship programs range from pro bono services and skills-based volunteering to nonprofit board membership, service sabbaticals, and a range of community involvement activities. Deloitte promotes a stronger economy and society by serving the public interest, building a culture of purpose, and inspiring leadership in others – within and outside Deloitte.

About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.

Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the insights they need to address their most complex business challenges. Deloitte's more than 210,000 professionals are committed to becoming the standard of excellence.

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