Tag: 3BL

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Nathaniel Pease and Rachel Strong

Are you ready for Open enrollment? 

If you are sunsetting old plans and need help with getting enrollments ready for the open enrollment period, Baker Tilly professionals are on hand to guide your team through this work, or even better, do it for you!

How do I alleviate work for the HR team?

Year-end is a hectic time for businesses, especially in Human Resources (HR) with payroll processes, compliance checks and open enrollment. The benefits team focuses on ensuring a positive experience for employees during open enrollment, collaborating with brokers for competitive benefits. Amidst these tasks and preparation, avoiding distractions like Oracle HCM system updates to prepare for OE is crucial for efficiency.

How can I provide a positive enrollment experience for employees?

Year-end is also important to employees. Open enrollment is a great opportunity to remind employees what benefits they have available to them. It’s also a time of reflection to employees on past year performance, what their total rewards are up to that point and how they might go into their new year.

How can Baker Tilly help?

Our professionals fully understand the breadth of work that needs to be done in such a short period of time, and the team is here to help!

Whether it be guidance with open enrollment, performance management or payroll year end processes, it’s our privilege to support your team through this crucial time. It is important to configure OE requirements correctly, so in the new plan year, employee enrollments and deductions are accurate. This can be tricky and time consuming depending on the activity happening with benefit offerings in the new year.

While Baker Tilly helps you prepare for your open enrollment season, we could also complete an optimization analysis for your team to see if there are any opportunities to build up functionality. As Oracle releases occur, and the Redwood user experience continues to roll out across Oracle as a whole, amazing new functionality, look and feel of the application is continuously becoming available. Baker Tilly is here to help see if there are areas of optimization to work on in the new plan year or provide assistance with the transition to the new Redwood experience.

Interested in learning more? Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist.

Schneider Electric

This year’s summer of sport is well underway, and soon some of the best athletes from around the world will push the boundaries of what’s possible after months and years of training.

But, did you know our homes are more like an athlete than you might think?

Any sport professional knows managing their own energy is essential to succeed, especially in long-distance or endurance sports. They must know how to manage their energy consumption, accelerating or decelerating when needed and adjusting to plays from their competition to make it to the finish line in first place.

But to get to this point, it takes months of training and hard work to get their bodies in shape. Athletes understand a holistic approach is needed when it comes to fitness and performance; sleep, breathing, nutrition and mental fitness are all equally as important to keeping the body in shape and energised to compete.

Additionally, an essential part of any training program is to track results. After each training sessions, athletes and their performance coaches will spend hours trawling through data and practice footage to review where the gains and losses were, where they are underperforming and where improvements can be made.

And all these practices can be similarly applied to our homes…

When it comes to energy, it is important to be using the right amount at the right time. For instance, it is far more efficient to run larger electrical loads like EV chargers during the nighttime when energy tariffs are cheaper than it is to run it during the day. Similarly, for homes with solar panels and battery storage, rather than drawing power from the grid at a cost during the evenings, homeowners could instead optimise their stored energy generated by solar throughout the day to effectively power their electrical devices for free.

For homeowners looking for real improvements when it comes to home energy management, there is no point at looking at devices and appliances in isolation, or only trying to change one singular part of the home. Just like an athlete, a holistic approach must be taken; electrical devices and appliances, heating, hot water and lighting all feed into the overall energy efficiency of the home. By only changing their heating habits, for instance, and ignoring everything else, only a fraction of the efficiency gains will be achieved.

So how can homeowners track their performance?

Just like an app or data from a performance coach, which would enable athletes to follow their progresses, Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) are the perfect way to do this for houses. Take Wiser for example!

With the Wiser system and the use of PowerTags, homeowners can easily integrate all their electrical appliances and devices into one place. Via the app, homeowners can easily track how many calories – or energy – the home is spending throughout the day, and the impact this has on the home’s health, AKA their energy bills. By using this data, homeowners can fully understand their energy demand and start to make improvements, adjusting their schedules to better optimise energy usage and reap the rewards. After all it is not about consuming calories like hell, this is about consuming wisely.

Just like any athlete knows, practice makes perfect. Nobody is going to perfectly optimise their home energy usage the first time around with no prior knowledge or experience. But the more time that homeowners invest in learning about better energy management, getting familiar with their energy consumption and how this is impacted by their habits, and with the support of the right tools, they can kick-start their journey to becoming a top performer. It is also important to remember that achieving energy efficiency is more of a marathon and not a sprint; even though it may take a little while to see significant savings on energy bills, the changes homeowners make will all be worthwhile in the long run.

To learn more about home energy management systems like Wiser, and how they could help you get the most from your tariff, visit our Energy Monitoring at Home page.

Schneider Electric

This year’s summer of sport is well underway, and soon some of the best athletes from around the world will push the boundaries of what’s possible after months and years of training.

But, did you know our homes are more like an athlete than you might think?

Any sport professional knows managing their own energy is essential to succeed, especially in long-distance or endurance sports. They must know how to manage their energy consumption, accelerating or decelerating when needed and adjusting to plays from their competition to make it to the finish line in first place.

But to get to this point, it takes months of training and hard work to get their bodies in shape. Athletes understand a holistic approach is needed when it comes to fitness and performance; sleep, breathing, nutrition and mental fitness are all equally as important to keeping the body in shape and energised to compete.

Additionally, an essential part of any training program is to track results. After each training sessions, athletes and their performance coaches will spend hours trawling through data and practice footage to review where the gains and losses were, where they are underperforming and where improvements can be made.

And all these practices can be similarly applied to our homes…

When it comes to energy, it is important to be using the right amount at the right time. For instance, it is far more efficient to run larger electrical loads like EV chargers during the nighttime when energy tariffs are cheaper than it is to run it during the day. Similarly, for homes with solar panels and battery storage, rather than drawing power from the grid at a cost during the evenings, homeowners could instead optimise their stored energy generated by solar throughout the day to effectively power their electrical devices for free.

For homeowners looking for real improvements when it comes to home energy management, there is no point at looking at devices and appliances in isolation, or only trying to change one singular part of the home. Just like an athlete, a holistic approach must be taken; electrical devices and appliances, heating, hot water and lighting all feed into the overall energy efficiency of the home. By only changing their heating habits, for instance, and ignoring everything else, only a fraction of the efficiency gains will be achieved.

So how can homeowners track their performance?

Just like an app or data from a performance coach, which would enable athletes to follow their progresses, Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) are the perfect way to do this for houses. Take Wiser for example!

With the Wiser system and the use of PowerTags, homeowners can easily integrate all their electrical appliances and devices into one place. Via the app, homeowners can easily track how many calories – or energy – the home is spending throughout the day, and the impact this has on the home’s health, AKA their energy bills. By using this data, homeowners can fully understand their energy demand and start to make improvements, adjusting their schedules to better optimise energy usage and reap the rewards. After all it is not about consuming calories like hell, this is about consuming wisely.

Just like any athlete knows, practice makes perfect. Nobody is going to perfectly optimise their home energy usage the first time around with no prior knowledge or experience. But the more time that homeowners invest in learning about better energy management, getting familiar with their energy consumption and how this is impacted by their habits, and with the support of the right tools, they can kick-start their journey to becoming a top performer. It is also important to remember that achieving energy efficiency is more of a marathon and not a sprint; even though it may take a little while to see significant savings on energy bills, the changes homeowners make will all be worthwhile in the long run.

To learn more about home energy management systems like Wiser, and how they could help you get the most from your tariff, visit our Energy Monitoring at Home page.

San Jose, California will become the center of gravity for climate tech professionals as VERGE 24 unfolds from October 29-31, 2024. The pivotal event will bring together over 6,000 leaders across various functions, industries, and sectors to explore what it takes to deploy climate tech at scale.

Participants will have the chance to tap into vital knowledge, connections, and inspiration necessary to de-risk strategies and amplify impact. VERGE addresses a critical need: over half of corporations identify uncertainty about the future of climate tech as a major obstacle to setting net-zero targets, according to research from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

The comprehensive program features seven key tracks: Energy, Buildings, Transport, Carbon Markets, Drawdown & Land Use, and Industrial Decarbonization. Designed to foster intimacy at scale, VERGE 24 will offer numerous opportunities for attendees to form meaningful connections through small group discussions, roundtable lunches and topic-specific networking sessions.

“VERGE combines substantive and relevant material with valuable opportunities to connect with other practitioners and corporate representatives like myself, who are directly engaged in advancing our organization’s sustainability goals. VERGE takes the pulse of the market, and I look forward to this event every year,” shares a representative from Wells Fargo who attended last year.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with hundreds of leading climate tech companies through interactive demonstrations at the VERGE Expo. The Expo will showcase cutting-edge solutions, allowing participants to explore emerging trends, evaluate new technologies, and accelerate their impact.

For more information about VERGE 24 and to receive a 10% discount on your pass, use the code V243BLM at registration: https://buff.ly/3VbCPEv

San Jose, California will become the center of gravity for climate tech professionals as VERGE 24 unfolds from October 29-31, 2024. The pivotal event will bring together over 6,000 leaders across various functions, industries, and sectors to explore what it takes to deploy climate tech at scale.

Participants will have the chance to tap into vital knowledge, connections, and inspiration necessary to de-risk strategies and amplify impact. VERGE addresses a critical need: over half of corporations identify uncertainty about the future of climate tech as a major obstacle to setting net-zero targets, according to research from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

The comprehensive program features seven key tracks: Energy, Buildings, Transport, Carbon Markets, Drawdown & Land Use, and Industrial Decarbonization. Designed to foster intimacy at scale, VERGE 24 will offer numerous opportunities for attendees to form meaningful connections through small group discussions, roundtable lunches and topic-specific networking sessions.

“VERGE combines substantive and relevant material with valuable opportunities to connect with other practitioners and corporate representatives like myself, who are directly engaged in advancing our organization’s sustainability goals. VERGE takes the pulse of the market, and I look forward to this event every year,” shares a representative from Wells Fargo who attended last year.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with hundreds of leading climate tech companies through interactive demonstrations at the VERGE Expo. The Expo will showcase cutting-edge solutions, allowing participants to explore emerging trends, evaluate new technologies, and accelerate their impact.

For more information about VERGE 24 and to receive a 10% discount on your pass, use the code V243BLM at registration: https://buff.ly/3VbCPEv

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., August 12, 2024 /3BL/ – The start of the new school year is just around the corner, and Entergy Arkansas hopes to help students start off on the right foot. Nearly $20,000 in charitable grants to nonprofits and school organizations will be used for local school supply and shoe drives, along with free haircuts. In addition, employee volunteers will assist with drop-offs and pickups at campuses across the utility’s 63-county service territory the first two weeks.

“A new semester brings a lot of excitement and opportunity for students, but sometimes hardships, too,” said Brandi Hinkle with Entergy Arkansas Corporate Social Responsibility. “Helping to provide resources like school supplies, shoes or haircuts to those in need can alleviate some of the stress that families face in setting up their kids for success. Education plays a critical role in ensuring all individuals realize their full potential, build a future and contribute to society, which is why our charitable foundation focuses a large portion of resources on education and workforce development initiatives.”

Entergy Arkansas gives back to communities across the state by donating dollars, volunteering hours and advocating for policies to improve the lives of customers. Our back-to-school efforts are just the beginning of our commitment to further education in our communities. Entergy Arkansas is proud to be part of the Academies of Central Arkansas, as well as providing scholarships for students, supporting STEM education and enhancing opportunities for workforce training throughout the state.

For the second year in a row, Entergy Arkansas partnered with Hope Connectionz to provide haircuts to area students at Skillz Barbershop in Little Rock and JMyles Barbershop and Salon in Searcy. We also joined forces with the Boys and Girls Club to pass out free boxes of tissue and sanitizing wipes to students at the Malvern Chamber of Commerce back-to-school block party last week.

This past weekend, Entergy Arkansas volunteers were on hand at St. Mark Baptist Church, which held a school health fair and provided dental hygiene kits, vision and hearing tests, physical checkups and immunizations.

Students were given backpacks and meals, as well as information on the Kids to College powered by Entergy child savings plan. The no-cost savings account allows families to put money aside for post-secondary education, and qualified Entergy customers receive $50 for free, plus a match of up to $365 this year for every student 16 and younger in their household. For more information, visit entergy.com/kids or call 501-372-0807 for assistance with the online registration process.

Remaining school supply events sponsored in part by Entergy Arkansas donations and volunteers include

Aug. 7 – Douglas Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 969 Smackover Hwy, El Dorado – 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.Aug. 9 – Arkansas County Enrichment Center, 702 E. Michigan St, Stuttgart – 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.Aug. 11 – Second Baptist Church, 1709 John Barrow Rd, Little Rock – 12:30 p.m.Aug. 11 – Center for Healing Hearts & Spirits, 2512 State St, Little Rock – 1 p.m.to 3 p.m.Aug. 11 – Lifeline Church, 7601 Baseline Rd, Little Rock – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.Aug. 15 – Elaine School District, 100 College Ave, Elaine – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.Aug. 17 – Main Street El Dorado, Downtown El Dorado – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For anyone still wanting to donate school supplies, “Stuff the Bus” donations can be dropped off at any Ouachita County Walmart store until Aug. 11.

Parents and students should also be on the lookout for Entergy Arkansas bucket trucks, along with line workers and others, who will be volunteering at several campuses during the first few days of the school year during morning drop-offs.

“A little encouragement can go a long way toward having a good day and a great start to the school year,” said Hinkle, “We want to provide smiles, supplies and a helping hand where we can.”

Heating and cooling costs make up more than 55% of an average customer’s electric bill. Entergy Arkansas’ Bill Toolkit has ways for customers to manage their energy usage and take more control of their electric bills. From Entergy Solutions programs to customized bill payment options, the toolkit can lead to bill savings for customers.

For more information, visit BillToolkit.entergy.com for the tools and resources you need to understand your bill, reduce your usage or look for assistance programs and services available to you.

About Entergy Arkansas

Entergy Arkansas, LLC provides electricity to approximately 730,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy Arkansas, visit the Newsroom and connect with @EntergyArk on social media.

On July 24th 178 Paramount interns and team captains took part in Paramount’s 6th annual Intern Community Day – a day focused on interns participating in Paramount’s tradition of giving back to the community and immersing themselves in the company culture. The Paramount Social Impact team, in collaboration with Paramount Emerging Talent team, supported 10 in-office, virtual and in-field volunteer events which interns could participate in.

Paramount Intern Community Day partners this year included:

Story Pirates: Story Pirates is an arts education organization, which provides literacy and creative writing programs to young students in Title I schools and homeless shelters. Paramount interns came together to learn about the organization, read stories written by young writers and provide encouragement to fuel their passion for storytelling.

Danae Daniels (MTVE Studios Franchise Social Team Social Media Marketing intern), worked with Story Pirates to read creative short stories and write letters to young authors. For Danae, reading second grader Naomi’s writing was a highlight. “Naomi’s story was both cute and original, showcasing her creative potential and the power of young imaginations. As a journalism student, I found this experience incredibly enriching. Not only did it allow me to connect with and encourage young writers, but it also helped me refine my own skills in giving thoughtful feedback and recognizing the unique voices in each story. This entire experience at Paramount has reaffirmed my belief in the importance of nurturing young talent, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to give back during my internship.”

JASA: JASA is an agency serving older adults in New York City, providing critical services and building community for over 40,000 people annually. For Intern Community Day, volunteers joined JASA senior community members for an afternoon of camp activities, including a hula hoop contest, corn hole, intergenerational storytelling and indoor s’mores.

The Bay Foundation: The Bay Foundation works to restore and enhance Santa Monica’s Bay through improving water quality and conserving and rehabilitating natural resources. A cohort of LA interns spent the morning restoring Manhattan Beach by removing invasive plants while learning about the environment.

Good + Foundation: Good + Foundation works to dismantle multi-generational poverty by pairing tangible goods with innovative services for low-income fathers, mothers and caregivers. Volunteers in LA and NYC helped prepare children’s donations such as clothing and diapers, which were then sent out to program partners.

Material for the Arts is a local NYC organization supporting the creative arts through collecting reusable arts materials and connecting students and teachers together. Interns immersed themselves in supplies as they stocked, organized, and arranged donations on the shelves. Jonathan Aguilar (CBS Affiliate Marketing Intern) recalls “It was a great experience to learn about the donations they receive from fashion/beauty/art brands that turn into supplies for art pieces for anyone in New York. We were able to meet the Artist in Residence who was truly talented, and we got to see her studio. Everyone that works there truly cares about the importance of recycling, art, and expression.”

Across town, younger and older generations came together at Senior Summer Camp with JASA – interns and JASA members played games and swapped stories about travel, music, art and even online dating! Talking with 92-year-old cornhole champion Gloria, “put a lot of perspective on my life and inspired me to be more adventurous, positive and healthy going forward!” notes Caleb Liu (Product Manager Intern).

This year’s Intern Community Day resulted in 163 volunteers and 305.5 volunteer hours, leaving a lasting impact on community partners and interns. “I love how Community Day allows us to bond together as interns while also serving the community,” says Sophia Leone (Paramount Pictures National Publicity Intern).

As Paramount moves forward, social impact core values and initiatives will continue to take center stage in the workplace. Highlighting the company’s great strength of making interns feel like a part of the company culture, Intern Community Day is here to stay.

Sofidel

There are many entrepreneurs and managers whose sensibilities or insights have contributed significantly to guiding the evolution of corporate culture.

The name of Italian entrepreneur Adriano Olivetti (1901 – 1960) is one. His well-known quote summarizes well the richness (and future content) of his way of thinking: “The factory cannot look only at the profit index. It must distribute wealth, culture, services, and democracy. I think the factory for man.”

In more recent years, there has been significant interest in the experience and commitment to the environment of US entrepreneur Yvon Chouinard (1934), who, after contributing profoundly to the evolution of ice climbing equipment and founding and leading the sportswear company Patagonia (1973), in September 2022 announced his intention to divest it to an ad hoc fund (Patagonia Purpose Trust) and a nonprofit organization (Holdfast Collective) so that all corporate profits can be reinvested in the fight against climate change.

Another entrepreneurial figure distinguished for her commitment to human rights and the environment was Britain’s Anita Roddick (1942 – 2007), founder of The Body Shop cosmetics company in 1976. Her approach to beauty and business was different and innovative. Roddick’s choice was to use natural and ethical ingredients and sell her products in essential, refillable packaging. Simple choices that turned out to be “revolutionary” in the 1970s helped spread environmental and social justice awareness and promoted an idea of beauty that was less about imposed standards and more about taking care of oneself to help people develop self-esteem and positive energy.

Among the interesting examples in the world of managers, a special mention is undoubtedly due to the experience of Paul Polman (1956), CEO of Unilever for 10 years (from 2009 to 2019). His commitment to fostering the establishment of businesses capable of improving the lives of all is outlined in his book, Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take. According to Polman, businesses today are called upon to help find answers for the two major challenges we are facing: climate change and growing inequality. According to Polman, companies should put themselves on the front line and support governments that cannot solve these problems alone.

Read more about topics related to environmental and social sustainability, themes and projects close to us in terms of culture and corporate modus operandi on our Soft&Green blog.

As part of Tapestry’s house of brands, Stuart Weitzman is committed to driving change on pressing global social issues. For 30 years, the brand has been celebrating the strength of women, seeking to inspire their confidence and empower them to be bold. And now, there’s never been a more important time to stand strong as a woman.

Earlier this week, Stuart Weitzman announced the recipients of its Bold Movers Grant, created in continued partnership with nonprofit Vital Voices Global Partnership. The grant is part of the brand’s Bold Movers: Investing in Women Working Towards Gender Equity program dedicated to advancing inclusive workplace initiatives for working mothers and caregivers. The recipients were each awarded a grant, on behalf of the Tapestry Foundation, to help further their respective projects focused on empowering working mothers and caregivers in their communities and beyond. They include:

Janitza Vasquez, Founder & Executive Director of One Happy Mama

One Happy Mama is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and supporting young mothers to help them pursue their career ambitions, as well as obtain financial literacy, academic success and more. The grant funds will go towards developing “The Mama Tribe,” a 10-month mentoring program that provides comprehensive support and resources to young mothers in the Greater New Orleans region to help them focus on their educational and professional goals while nurturing their families.

Laneceya Russ-Martin, Executive Director of March for Moms

March for Moms isan organization that partners with national and grassroots organizations to urge American leaders and policymakers to help ensure moms, birthing people and families get the support and care they deserve. Using the grant funds, Lanecya plans to update the “Empowering Caregivers: Advocating for Policies to Support Work-Life Balance Guide” to provide working caregivers with the knowledge, skills and resources to advocate for policies that address their challenges and enable them to fulfill their dual roles as caregivers and employees.

Michaela Ayers, Facilitator of Black Her Stories

Black Her Stories is a dynamic project that celebrates the leadership and contributions of Black women throughout history and in modern times. Michaela plans to use the grant funding to expand Black Her Stories by producing live storytelling events that focus on well-being, health equity and increasing the visibility of Black women leaders. The intentional gatherings will also include a creative wellness workshop to provide a space for Black caregivers to rest, reset and receive care.

Shivani Parikh, Executive Director of South Asian Legal Defense Fund

The South Asian Legal Defense Fund is an organization that supports the rights of South Asian women, including caregivers and working mothers. It also supports the intersectional ways in which South Asian caregivers and working mothers are adversely affected by unequal pay, poor maternity leave policies and the nature of their work. Shivani will direct the grant funding towards propelling The EmpowerHer Conference forward with the goal of expanding South Asian working mothers and caregivers’ access to resources and support networks, enable them to advocate for policy changes and foster community solidarity, as well as empower individual caregivers to achieve economic independence and professional fulfillment.

Learn more about the Bold Movers grant recipients here.

Verizon

What you need to know:

Verizon goes back to school with new immersive learning content across its award-winning education initiative, Verizon Innovative Learning, which has now provided nearly 8 million students nationwide with digital skills training.This fall, Verizon Innovative Learning will welcome 34 new Title I middle and high schools and open 18 new Labs over the 2024/2025 school year.In addition, K-12 educators nationwide will be able to access tech-driven content from new and existing partners through Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, a free education portal that makes innovative learning tools available to all. The platform will also expand its curriculum to include gaming content and a new esports league.Teachers can get the best out of myPlan for starting as low as $25 a line. And stay connected after school with the Disney Bundle (Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+) for $10 per month.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., August 9, 2024 /3BL/ – As teachers and students prepare to return to classrooms this Fall, Verizon is furthering its commitment to powering tomorrow’s leaders and ensuring all students have an opportunity to succeed through its award-winning initiative, Verizon Innovative Learning. And this year, the program is unveiling brand-new learning resources that will connect students closer than ever to one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. – esports and gaming – and give teachers the tools to incorporate it in their classrooms.

Today, through Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, Verizon is announcing its first-ever, FREE, scholastic high school esports league. The esports league opens for registration today (August 8) and the league runs from September 23 to December 13. In partnership with nonprofit Games for Change, participating schools will receive free coaching guidance from esports professionals to help prepare teams across areas ranging from technical skills to health and wellness for gamers.

In addition to our new esports league, Verizon Innovative Learning HQ users have access to esports and gaming professional development, lesson plans, and other resources to bring this exciting content into K-12 classrooms:

Professional development collections for teachers, school leaders, and district leaders focused on how to integrate esports, gaming, and game design into K-12 classrooms.Ready to use toolkits and lessons to bring hackathons, game design challenges, and gaming clubs to schools.Immersive content and video resources showcasing esports careers including Voices from the Field, a collection of video interviews with esports and gaming professionals. Also, from our partners at Arizona State University, CareerXRcade, a gamified, XR learning experience that brings to life for students various careers in esports and cybersecurity, as well as Professional Pathways: Esports, a complementary curriculum providing project-based learning for students to explore the esports industry.

Beyond esports and gaming, we continue to expand our Verizon Innovative Learning HQ offerings for back to school, thanks to our partners:

Discovery Education: The latest episode of the TimePod Adventures augmented reality (AR) app as well as 4 new lesson plans are now available on Verizon Innovative Learning HQ. App users can go back in time to return a dinosaur egg to its home before it hatches.McGraw Hill: The global education leader is rolling out Spanish-language versions of all 30 McGraw Hill AR activities on Verizon Innovative Learning HQ. All 30 activities across math, science and social studies subject areas are now available via app and web.PhET Interactive Simulations at the University of Colorado Boulder: The PhET project at the University of Colorado Boulder is unveiling four new courses on Verizon Innovative Learning HQ that will empower math and science educators to leverage free PhET simulations in their classrooms to support students to engage in the exploration of mathematical and natural principles.Museum Initiative: Verizon Innovative Learning, in partnership with NYU Tandon School of Engineering, will continue to develop professional development modules and ready-to-teach lesson plans from various museum and cultural institution partners, including The Franklin Institute, Liberty Science Center, Children’s Creativity Museum, Providence Children’s Museum, and Belle Isle Conservancy.

“For over a decade, Verizon’s steadfast commitment to educators and students has made a lasting impact on nearly eight million students nationwide. We are continuing to augment and advance our technology-centric curriculum – adding new programs, partners and content – to ensure more and more students can unlock new opportunities, said Donna Epps, Chief Responsible Business Officer at Verizon. “As technology and innovation advances, so does our support. Our new, free offerings continue to meet demands and interests across today’s students, from gaming to e-sports to immersive learning, and ensure teachers have the tools to integrate technology in the classroom.”

Verizon Innovative Learning

Verizon Innovative Learning has committed over $1 billion in market value to support digital equity and inclusion within education across the country. Focused on helping students develop the skills, knowledge and capabilities for success, the award-winning initiative has now reached nearly 8 million students across the U.S. and provided hundreds of Title I schools with connectivity and next-gen technologies that bring innovative lesson plans to life.

In partnership with the nonprofit Digital Promise, Verizon is expanding the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program by welcoming 34 new Title I schools. This brings the program’s total reach to 626 schools nationwide. Students and teachers of this new cohort will be equipped with devices including tablets and laptops as well as up to four years of data—empowering 24/7 learning in and out of the classroom.

In addition, Verizon is opening 18 new Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in Title I schools this school year, bringing the total to 161 labs across the country. In collaboration with nonprofit partner Heart of America and the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University, the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab program provides students with access to robust, hands-on learning tools such as VR equipment, 3D printing stations, AR apps and more in a custom-designed, state-of-the-art experiential learning environment.

These efforts are part of the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement with the goal to provide 10 million youths with digital skills training by 2030.

Verizon delivers back-to-school savings

Verizon is offering teachers, students and families best in class products for back-to-school. Whether it’s a Gizmo watch or protection plans for all your important devices, Verizon has you covered. Plus, stay connected after school with Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ for $10/mo – and get up to $540 when you bring your phone and switch (with select Unlimited plans).1 Also, teachers get the best out of myPlan for as low as $25 a line.2

1 3rd party entertainment offers require a line subscribed to Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate. Must be 18 yrs or older. Cancel anytime. One offer per eligible Verizon line. Add’l terms apply. Disney Bundle incl. Disney+ (No Ads), Hulu (With Ads), and ESPN+ (With Ads). EXISTING DISNEY+, HULU OR ESPN+ subscribers: Offer will not automatically replace existing subscription(s). Managing subscriptions may be required to avoid multiple subscriptions and corresponding charges. $8.99/mo perk savings based on the current $18.99/mo that Verizon Disney Bundle Subscribers pay for the bundle less the $10/mo Disney perk added to myPlan. Terms apply. © 2024 Disney and its related entities.

$540 via promo credit when you add a new smartphone line with your own 4G/5G smartphone on Unlimited Ultimate plan req’d. Promo credit applied over 36 months; promo credits end if eligibility requirements are no longer met. Offer may not be combined with other offers.

2 $25/line per month with 4 lines on Unlimited Welcome. With Auto Pay. Plus taxes and fees. For personal lines only

Media contact

Hope Arcuri Armanus
hope.arcuri.armanus@verizon.com