April 22nd, 2020, 3:00 pm PT / Category: Interviews
How we educate today will determine the world we live in tomorrow.
As a sixth round draft pick out of Mississippi State, Ellis Wyms quickly established himself as a mainstay on one of the most renowned defenses in NFL history. On his way to a successful eight-year NFL career, Wyms reached the pinnacle of the sports world in just his second season, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take home their first and only championship in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Following the conclusion of his playing career, Ellis launched Athletes for Computer Science. Despite a successful NFL career, a pathway to that success in football was not always clear to Ellis. Born and raised in rural Mississippi, he envisions a world where students from all communities have the same opportunities to develop skills in computer science. As industries continue to be shaped by technology, it was clear to Ellis that these tools are needed for students to be successful in a 21st century job market.
In 2018, the foundation launched the standalone nonprofit Athletes for Computer Science (AFCS) to provide coding education and exposure to computer science careers to children in elementary schools.
