Tag: 3BL

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 25, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Discovery Education presents a curated collection of free standards-aligned resources empowering educators nationwide to incorporate DNA education into teaching and learning in celebration of National DNA Day. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.

Established in 2003 by the National Human Genome Research Institute, National DNA Day raises awareness and celebrates DNA’s importance to the world. 2023 also marks the 20th anniversary of the Human Genome Project’s completion and the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA double helix. In recognition of this day, these important anniversaries, and the unique connectivity and power of DNA, Discovery Education presents the following collection of resources in collaboration with partners leading the way in biotechnology.

Virtual Field Trip 
Grades 6-12 
The Genomics: Decoding the Language of Life Virtual Field Trip transports students to the Illumina labs in San Diego, CA to meet real-world experts harnessing the power of the genome to improve lives and support the conservation of the Earth’s natural resources.

An accompanying educator guide and classroom conversation starter packet provides teachers with materials and activities for before, during, and after the virtual field trip. The Genomics: Decoding the Language of Life Virtual Field Trip, builds upon a suite of resources available at no-cost to middle and high school educators from DNA Decoded with The Illumina Corporate Foundation. Educators can find digital lesson bundles, classroom activities, career guides, and more to help students explore the power of DNA.

Instructional Resources 
Grades 9-12 
Futurelab+ expands high school students’ access to biotechnology education to inspire them to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing society today. Designed in partnership with Genentech to build a more diverse and inclusive future STEM workforce, Futurelab+ offers a new, comprehensive biotechnology curriculum that includes groundbreaking content addressing health equity and the importance of advancing inclusivity and representation in clinical research – both critical issues to introduce to young people contemplating careers in science and medicine.

This collection of instructional material meets national education and industry standards emphasizing the in-demand skills needed across the full product development lifecycle – from molecule to medicine. These resources expose students and educators to the breadth of educational opportunities and career pathways across biotechnology and are designed to be easily implemented in all classrooms – regardless of access to expensive resources or lab equipment. In addition to the curriculum, Futurelab+ also provides unique educator support through a Community of Practice and a Professional Learning Community which includes access to biotech professional volunteers.

Discover more DNA-curated content on Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform in the Cells channel. Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education provides educators with an enhanced learning platform that facilitates engaging, daily instruction.

“DNA was discovered by Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, James Watson, and other colleagues, and their discovery is now the cornerstone of research on which life-saving cures for disease, cancer, and more are based. These standards-aligned and research-backed resources make DNA relatable and engaging for students,” said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Social Impact at Discovery Education.

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources—which can be purchased with federal stimulus funds—and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.

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About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts 
Grace Maliska 
Discovery Education 
gmaliska@discoveryed.com

Every day, businesses are making a difference in the world by partnering with nonprofits, schools, advocacy groups, and other charitable organizations dedicated to public good. Reports from 2021 show that corporate social responsibility (CSR) has only increased with the median total corporate gifts having increased by 41% over last year.

For businesses interested in launching their own CSR program, there are multiple methods to explore, allowing organizations to choose an approach that best fits their business’s philanthropic goals. To help your organization find a CSR method that aligns with your interests, resources, and business model, this article will explore three approaches to CSR:

PhilanthropyVolunteerismActivism

There is also no need to choose just one of these methods. In fact, sometimes different CSR approaches can overlap. For example, your business might choose to sponsor a nonprofit that then runs an advocacy campaign, resulting in your organization simultaneously participating in philanthropy and activism.

1. Philanthropy

Corporate philanthropy is one of the most well-known types of CSR due to the relatively straightforward nature of monetary donations. However, there are a few different ways organizations can leverage philanthropy to make donations, such as:

In-kind donations: Rather than donating a set amount of money, your business can donate physical objects and resources to your nonprofit of choice. For example, a graphic design firm might donate their services and create a nonprofit’s logo for free. 
 Sponsorships: Your business can donate to a nonprofit at any time as a general gift, or you can choose to sponsor specific events and activities. Certain sponsorships can also provide your business with a little extra publicity as the nonprofit you are supporting promotes your brand. For example, event sponsors often have their logo featured on relevant event banners and programs. 
 Employee matching gift programs: You can encourage your employees to join your philanthropic efforts by setting up a matching gift program. Instead of your business directly donating to a nonprofit, you will match your employees’ contributions. This ensures that you are supporting the specific causes your employees care about. 
 Scholarships: If you’re interested in supporting a school or youth-centered organization, consider offering a scholarship. You can choose to add requirements to your scholarship, such as an essay or competition, or create more general guidelines like providing modest support to every applicant with a certain GPA level or above.

As mentioned, there is no need to choose just one method of corporate philanthropy. For example, a business could set up a scholarship program for a local high school and donate surplus products to be used in the classroom and after-school activities.

2. Volunteerism

Rather than providing resources to another organization, some businesses opt to go out and make a difference themselves with corporate volunteerism. Corporate volunteer programs organize employees to go out and volunteer in their community together, often with the backing or guidance of a nonprofit. 

To support a corporate volunteer program, businesses can partner with a variety of charitable organizations, from nonprofits to schools. Consider surveying your employees to discover what causes they’re most interested in supporting.

While it might seem counterintuitive, taking time out of the work day to have employees volunteer can actually be beneficial for businesses in the long run. According to Double the Donation’s guide to employee engagement, CSR programs like corporate volunteerism lead to more engaged employees, which in turn has been shown to increase profits by approximately 22% over businesses without similar programs. 

3. Activism

Corporate activism is a rapidly evolving type of CSR, as brands and organizations are increasingly expected by their customers to share their stance on important social issues.

Specifically, social media has become a major part of many organizations’ digital marketing and communication strategies. Your business can participate in social media advocacy by taking small actions such as making supportive statements to recognize ongoing social movements or important dates. For example, your organization might share a few words about your commitment to diversity and equality on February 1st to celebrate the start of Black History Month. Be mindful that the public stances your organization takes should reflect its internal values. Today’s consumers can easily spot the difference between meaningful advocacy and a hollow PR stunt.

Your organization can also use social media to take more direct, impactful actions as well. For example, if you donate to an advocacy group or ongoing campaign, you might make a post on social media sharing why, and then share posts from that group to help promote their efforts.

How should community investment fit into your CSR strategy?

Check out our guide to find out.

CSR is an investment in your business’s community and long-term success that also has the potential to make a tangible difference for the better. Consider which approach to CSR makes sense for your business’s current operations, and know that expanding your CSR program is always an option as your organization grows and evolves.

As published in Qualcomm’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

Our Operational Resilience function orchestrates the Company’s Emergency Management (EM), Business Resilience (BR), IT Incident Response (IR) and IT Service Resilience (ITSR) disciplines. The proper adoption of these resilience disciplines enhances our capability to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from operational disruptions.

We have established a forward-looking vision and holistic approach to operational resilience based on leading industry standards. Our program is designed to provide for agile decision-making in the face of potential threats and during an event. Our approach is driven by Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) assessments, Company strategy, and regulatory and stakeholder requirements.

We utilize a threat risk assessment process to identify and evaluate risks on a regional basis that may affect the Company’s resilience. The threat risk assessment process ranks more than 30 environmental, operational and man-made risks (including climate related risks) based on the likelihood and impact of an occurrence. We consult with resilience leads based on the potential size and scope of specific impacts. This process is completed annually, with the results presented to executive sponsors and the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors.

The Operational Resilience planning team leverages this data when determining the potential impacts from operational disruptions, documents recovery requirements and devises strategies to allow the Company to continue critical business operations in the event of disaster. Disasters include local incidents such as building fires, regional physical incidents such as earthquakes, or technology disruptions and national incidents such as pandemic illnesses, and events that occur due to climate change.

Operational resilience leads evaluate the effectiveness of plans, assessments and risks identified with training and simulations. The overall program is aligned with ISO 22301, an international standard for business continuity management systems.

Learn more in Qualcomm’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

Originally published on GoDaddy Life

What’s your story? Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do here at GoDaddy.

I am a Director on the Talent Acquisition team, looking after all things Recruiting Operations (processes, tools, systems, projects, recruiting coordination, etc.). In 2021, the Employer Brand function came under my area of responsibility, as well. This will be my sixth year with GoDaddy, in October.

I started out in HR after graduating from Arizona State University (Go Sundevils!) and then moved into Recruiting a few years later, starting as a Recruiting Coordinator and eventually moving into Recruiting leadership. I come from an Air Force military family, and we moved around due to my dad’s military and civilian careers. I was born in Honolulu, HI and moved to Nebraska, California, Pennsylvania and eventually, Arizona. My husband and I met at Arizona State and just celebrated 21 years of marriage. We have a 17-year-old son who is a junior in high school and is involved with martial arts and guitar (electric & acoustic).

What’s the most challenging, yet rewarding thing that you’ve worked on at GoDaddy?

In 2020, we implemented a new global recruiting system — Greenhouse. This is how the Recruiting team receives and tracks job applications for both internal and external candidates. It’s also how we schedule interviews, create offers, track referrals, and initiate the hire or job change processes. The implementation process had to go through layers of risk and compliance reviews as well as integration with Workday at multiple points. It was kicked off in January of 2020 and we had to keep it on track, despite also having to unexpectedly solve for interviewing and onboarding remotely due to the global pandemic. It was an incredible opportunity due to the chance it offered to partner more closely with a variety of different teams like Risk, Compliance, Legal, HR Ops, HRIS, Transformation, and Total Rewards. There was a lot of learning from the project that has helped to influence other global implementations we’ve completed since then. The project was delivered on-time in June 2020, and we spent the remainder of the year testing and tweaking. We’ve since reached a point of continuous improvement.

You are involved in a multitude of Phoenix community and non-profit organizations. Do you mind sharing a bit more of your experiences?

I have been consistently involved with the performing arts & two health-related non-profits for many (many) years. I was born with multiple congenital heart defects (CHD) that required two open heart surgeries. My first surgery was at 10-months of age and the second was when I was 4.5 years old. Through those experiences, I became interested in getting involved within the heart community. One of the best ways I felt I could contribute was to help with fund-raising and bringing awareness. I have been a part of the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) and actively participating in their events for the past 7-years. Recently, I have become more involved with the American Heart Association. Both organizations host walks and different awareness campaigns annually.

I am also supportive of a smaller local non-profit in Douglassville, Pennsylvania called Red Corner Benefit. This organization’s focus is entirely on supporting children suffering from pediatric cancer in the local area. They select one family, annually, and all donations are given to the family to try to provide some financial relief and aid. They host a weekend- long event in Douglassville (close to where I grew up in Pennsylvania) and it is truly a community event that has grown year-over-year. It’s incredibly personal to me because my best-friend from high school lost her daughter, Lexi, in 2011 to Stage IV Neuroblastoma. Lexi and her family were the recipients the 2nd year of the event and the joy she had over the weekend, combined with the financial support the donations provided, was beyond inspiring. For one weekend, Lexi and her family laughed, sang, played games, and truly celebrated her life as the community gathered to support them. This annual event has continued, grown, and will host its 14th annual event in the Fall of 2023. While Lexi gained her angel wings, the event continues to celebrate her life and the lives of the other children who have been impacted by Red Corner Benefit.

Additionally, I have been involved with ballet for the past 40+ years. I was a classical ballet student for 14-years. Despite no longer performing, my passion and love of ballet has never ceased. I volunteer my time as a Board Member of a local pre-professional classical ballet school in Gilbert, Arizona, the Ballet Etudes Academy. We are focused on a classical dance education that includes performance opportunities and have been in the East Valley for over 35-years.

When my son started high school 3 years ago, he got more involved with community service. As a means of teaching students about the importance of giving back and supporting their communities, it is a requirement at his school that each student achieves a certain number of hours per year of community service. He has participated in several projects across Phoenix with Habitat for Humanity, Feed My Starving Children, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Arizona. Through his activities, we’ve had an opportunity to get involved as a family.

How do you feel that GoDaddy supports you to do things that are important to you?

GoDaddy for Good makes it easy to get involved within the community and provides matching for our donations. The ease of setting up donations via payroll makes it all that much easier to provide financial support to these not-for-profit groups so that they can continue to support awareness, research, and engagement. Time off for volunteering is remarkable as well — having the opportunity to take time to go and support a chosen organization or do something within the community and knowing your company not only has your back but is encouraging of that time-away, makes it all that much more rewarding.

How would you recommend that others get involved in causes that are important to them?

I would suggest that people look around in their immediate area with schools or groups like the Boys & Girls Clubs, the Phoenix Zoo, animal shelters, local libraries, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, or through other organizations. Check out different non-profits who are doing charity walks or runs like Best Buddies (which is international), St. Jude’s, or Pat’s Run (which has satellite runs throughout the US). Having a personal interest or connection to an organization makes your involvement so incredibly meaningful. Look through Benevity to see what others may be doing at GoDaddy or connect with members of the ERGs. Time is a precious commodity, and it can be hard, in this fast-paced life, to carve out extra time in the week, month, or year. If your schedule doesn’t allow for volunteer hours, check out and see how monetary donations can help to make an impact. “Getting involved” looks different for everyone — donations of goods, monetary support, or volunteer hours are just some examples of what a person can do to help.

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERG’s, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/GoDaddyLifeInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/godaddylife/LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/godaddylifeTwitter — https://twitter.com/GoDaddyLifeTikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@godaddylife?Career Page — https://careers.godaddy.com

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

When Ruby Saldivar was a junior at Mountain View High School in El Monte, part of Los Angeles, and making plans for her senior year, one thing she set her eyes on was working at the Union Bank student branch at her school.

“I knew it was going to be a great opportunity for me to learn and become more financially literate,” Saldivar said. “I also saw it as a great way to improve at customer service, professionalism and other soft skills.”

Saldivar, now a senior, was accepted in the branch program and started last fall. Like other students in the program, she works four or five hours a week at the branch, which primarily serves students and school staff.

The branch is one of five Union Bank student branches at high schools in California, with the first launching in 2011. The student branch program is one of many initiatives that are part of the bank’s dedication to serving low- and moderate-income communities.

U.S. Bancorp in early December completed the acquisition of the MUFG Union Bank core regional banking franchise from Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. It has committed to continuing the student branch program, with leaders saying it’s an effective way to engage with students in California. The branches are scheduled to be rebranded as U.S. Bank branches over the summer, before students return in the fall.

The students in the program go through training on the operations of U.S. Bank branch and how to assist customers with navigating their accounts digitally, as well as how to present themselves professionally, create resumes, participate in job interviews and more. The branches are managed by full-time bank employees who serve as mentors to the students.

In addition to working at the branch, students in the program lead financial education programs for other students at their school.

“I love how this program allows me to educate my peers on finances,” said Yingyin Tan, an intern at the Union Bank branch at Abraham Lincoln High School, in the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles. “It gives me an opportunity to teach them how they can start to build healthy financial habits, as well as help them open accounts at the branch.”

The student bankers also participate in community service events. For example, Tan, who is in her school’s Junior ROTC program, organized efforts with other cadets to prepare and provide 12,000 meals to people in the community with HIV and other medical conditions.

Saldivar is a leader at her school’s Key Club, which organized a toy drive at Christmas time and has participated in other volunteer events.

“I’ve definitely grown a lot from the branch program,” Saldivar said. “One of the things I’ve learned is how to get out of my shell more and not be afraid to interact with others. Before coming in, I used to be more timid and not want to speak up, but this program has really taught me to take the initiative and let my voice be heard by others.”

Her voice will be heard beginning this fall at Stanford University, where she is attending on a full ride scholarship she received through the Quest Bridge National College Match. She plans to study mechanical engineering.

Tan, who received the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement, the highest award issued by the Junior ROTC, has been accepted at the University of California, Berkeley, and is waiting to hear back from some other schools she’s applied to.

Both Saldivar, whose parents came to the U.S. from Mexico, and Tan, who immigrated with her parents and little sister from China when she was a toddler, will be the first members of their families to attend college.

“This internship means opportunities for our students to learn additional skills and the importance of financial education and to make better decisions and judgements necessary for adulthood,” said Vernell Taylor, vice president in Corporate Social Responsibility. “Young people need to know the difference between credit and debit to avoid financial mistakes and make sound financial decisions when they go to college and enter the real world.”

For more about the student branch program, watch the video above.

In celebration of Earth Month and MLS WORKS Annual Greener Goals Initiative, AEG’s LA Galaxy organized programming to engage and inspire the local community to take action to protect the planet.

On April 19, 2023, in support of MLS 6th Annual Greener Goals Week of Service, and in partnership with Garden School Foundation, an organization which provides in-depth garden-based education to youth at Title I schools in Los Angeles, LA Galaxy’s Eriq Zavaleta and mascot Cozmo joined volunteers from the LA Galaxy front office, AEG and LA Galaxy fans to revitalize and expand gardens at Annalee Avenue Elementary School in Carson, CA. Volunteers and students participated in a number of refurbishment projects, including building ADA compliant garden beds, removing weeds, laying soil as well as planting flowers, vegetables and fruits.

“It’s so important for the LA Galaxy to give back and support our local communities, not only from literacy to health and well-being but to sustainability and providing access and opportunity to youth,” said Gabriel Osollo, Sr Manager Community Relations, LA Galaxy. “This is reflected in our all-encompassing community programming for Earth Month and Earth Day.”

Earth Month programming included hosting a cleat drive, in partnership with FUTBL.ORG, Garden School Foundation and SA Recycling, on April 22, 2023, during the LA Galaxy’s Earth Day match against Austin FC at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, as well as auctioning off game-worn and player-signed One Planet Kits. Made entirely out of Parley Ocean plastic – a recycled material created from reimagined plastic waste – the hand-drawn One Planet Kit design pays homage to the ocean floor each jersey aims to protect. To learn more about the One Planet Kit, the league-wide initiative to end plastic waste, please click here.

MLS WORKS Greener Goals is an initiative that aims to identify ways to reduce the League’s greenhouse gas footprint and raise awareness about environmental issues throughout the soccer community. MLS WORKS will host the 6th annual Greener Goals Week of Service from April 17-23rd during which MLS club and League office staff will volunteer their time and give back in partnership with local charitable organizations leading up to Earth Day on April 22. To learn more about MLS WORKS Greener Goals, please click here.

New resources created to help parents, caregivers, and educators enhance learning opportunities for children by celebrating their uniqueness, exploring how we’re all connected, and building awareness of community.

NEW YORK, April 25, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, has released new resources to help young children get ready for school with help from the grown-ups in their lives. Created with generous support from PNC Foundation’s ongoing early childhood education initiative, PNC Grow Up Great®, the resources help children ages 2-5 build self-awareness and a sense of belonging. These resources are aimed at helping children learn to celebrate themselves, their families, and others.

The caring adults in children’s lives can help them thrive in school and life by inviting them to celebrate who they are, helping them get to know others who are both like and different from them, and building their sense of connection with others, including their classroom community. The collaboration between caregivers and providers in a child’s life during the most crucial years sets the stage for a successful transition to kindergarten.

These new bilingual videos, activity guide, and printable worksheets feature friends Elmo, Rosita, Julia, Wes, and their families as they celebrate themselves and each other:

“Wonderful in You,” a new original song with Elmo and his dad Louie, Rosita and her mom Rosa, and Wes and his dad Elijah. This video focuses on adult-child bonds and celebrates the special pride parents and caregivers have for their children.In the “Remembering Our Time Together” video, Julia’s and Rosita’s families remember the good feelings that memories with family can bring.Documentary videos featuring two preschool teachers presenting insights and strategies for things such as a peaceful, collaborative, and cooperative classroom community.A free professional development course, Building a Connected Community, offers family-friendly strategies providers can use to prepare children for school, life, and ways to engage with everyone in their neighborhood.Dream Big! — An activity book distributed for free through PNC Bank branches, volunteer, and community-based events, also available digitally at sesame.org/readyforschool, plus printable activity pages to help children celebrate themselves and prepare for life.

“Sesame Workshop has always been dedicated to helping children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder in all aspects of their lives, and we’re proud to have the support of our longtime partner PNC Grow Up Great® as we continue our efforts together,” said Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Senior Vice President of U.S. Social Impact, Sesame Workshop. “These past few years, especially with the impact of the pandemic, have presented unprecedented challenges for children everywhere, and we are here to help increase their sense of belonging, create a rich and nurturing classroom community, and strengthen the home-school connection.”

The new resources, which are free and available in English and Spanish, can be found at sesame.org/readyforschool. Additionally, they are being distributed through the Sesame Street in Communities program, an initiative for community providers who serve families and help children face challenges big and small. Teachers, healthcare professionals, social workers — any providers working with families and children — are invited to use and share Sesame Workshop’s large and growing library of bilingual resources and professional development tools, created to support them in their vital work.

“These resources build on a terrific 19 years of partnership between Sesame Workshop and PNC Foundation,” said Sally McCrady, president and chair of The PNC Foundation. “One of my favorite things about the resources we’ve created together is how they remind parents and caregivers of all the things we can do in our everyday moments. These new resources celebrate children, families, and the joy of simply talking and connecting with each other.”

About PNC Foundation 
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, visit http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com.

About Sesame Workshop 
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We’re present in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.

Contact 
Laura Rigby 
Laura.rigby@sesame.org

LINCOLN, Neb., April 25, 2023 /3BL Media/ – For the second year in a row, Clayton, a national builder of attainable housing, is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant over 1 million trees in strategic reforestation projects that span 11 states. This year’s projects will bring the partnership’s total to over 3.3 million trees planted since inception, with a long-term goal of planting over 4.4 million trees by the end of 2025.

Projects supported through the partnership will utilize sustainable forestry practices on a variety of nature preserves, private lands, and State and National Forests in Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. As they grow, these trees will help enhance area biodiversity, increase wildlife habitat, and improve air and water quality throughout the impacted regions.

“It’s inspiring getting to work alongside an organization like Clayton who shares in our dedication and passion for building a greener, more sustainable world,” said Dan Lambe, Chief Executive Officer of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees are essential to the health and prosperity of these ecosystems, and we are thrilled to continue partnering with Clayton to help ensure the people, plants, and animals who call them home have a chance to thrive.”

For the past 50 years, the Arbor Day Foundation has worked to plant nearly 500 million trees in forests and communities around the world. Through a global network of partnerships, the Foundation facilitates projects that empower organizations of all sizes to reach their sustainability goals via measurable, impactful work through trees and forests. The Foundation recently announced an initiative to plant 500 million trees over the next 5 years in the forests and communities that need them most.

“Clayton and the Arbor Day Foundation are aligned in our commitment to improve lives and build a better tomorrow,” said CEO Kevin Clayton. “We are proud to play a role in replenishing critical ecosystems that support our families and communities.”

This partnership is an expansion of Clayton’s existing national sustainability efforts, which include improving the energy efficiency of its home building and supply operations, setting ongoing reduction targets for waste and water and increasing its reliance on renewable energy. All 52 of Clayton’s home building and supply facilities maintain ISO 14001 certification, the gold standard of environmental management systems. Last year alone, Clayton diverted over 100 million pounds of waste from landfills through recycling efforts at these facilities.

To learn more about the Clayton and Arbor Day Foundation partnership, click here.

About Clayton

Founded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life and building happyness® through homeownership. As a diverse builder committed to quality and durability, Clayton offers traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing – including modular homes, manufactured homes, CrossMod® homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments. In 2022, Clayton built 62,620 homes across the country. Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

*CrossMod is a trademark of the Manufactured Housing Institute

*Based on one tree planted by the Arbor Day Foundation for every estimated tree used in Clayton’s home building process in the previous year, assuming estimated board feet used at 754 board feet per tree and average footage of Clayton’s homes built by type. Arbor Day Foundation is a registered service mark of Arbor Day Foundation Corporation.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. With a focus in communities and forests of greatest need, the Foundation — alongside its more than 1 million members, supporters and valued partners — has helped to plant nearly 500 million trees in more than 50 countries. Guided by its mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees, the Arbor Day Foundation is committed to unlocking the power of trees to help solve critical issues facing people and the planet. Learn more about the impact of the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org.

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Kids are natural scientists, driven by curiosity to understand the world around them. Finding inspiration in their daily life, they constantly ask and answer their own hypotheses.

Engaging their own curiosity, the youngest students don’t even know they are using the scientific method to ask questions, form hypotheses, collect evidence, test out their theories, and communicate the results. But when you hear a child say, “I did it! I jumped in the puddle and my socks stayed dry and I made a big splash!” that is the scientific method on display.

This type of inquiry-based learning teaches critical thinking skills, as noted in a Cambridge University Press article, Teaching Critical Thinking in Science – the key to students future success. Science educators seek to continually engage this curiosity by creating lessons that help students continue to learn about the world around them. Great science educators foster opportunities for students to challenge their own understanding with evidence-based reasoning and argument.

Showcasing hands-on engineering projects at science events helps students make connections between asking questions, defining problems and analyzing data. Central to both science and engineering is evaluating and communicating information, which are essential skills for students.

Two recent community events showcased the creativity of our employees in working with students at science events in Penang, Malaysia and Santa Rosa, California.

Keysight Penang – Penang International Science Fair

As a participant in the Penang International Science Fair, which is organized by the Penang Science Cluster (PSC), in partnership with the Penang State Government, Keysight Penang employees worked with thousands of students ages 7-17 over a week-long fair in December 2022.

At this event Keysight employees worked with the older students on a mini radar scene emulator, to help students understand the complexity of testing self-driving car sensors and how Keysight’s powerful engineering solution can make testing easier. The younger students learned about electronic circuitry as it relates to logic gate design and smart homes. They also took measurements using a multi-meter and learned about voltage.

Keysight Santa Rosa – North Bay Science Discovery Day

At Keysight Santa Rosa, employees set up a booth with hands on science and engineering lessons for the North Bay Science Discovery Day, connecting with thousands of students through the event. Employees taught students about radar using a toy racecar track and a radar gun, demonstrated how oscilloscopes can visualize the soundwaves of music and the invisible light waves of remote controls, visualized the waves in the electromagnetic spectrum with a series of pendulums, and showcased the boundaries of human hearing by attempting to listen to signals from different frequencies.

Creating these types of hands-on and inquiry-based learning activities encourages students to use their own ideas to ask and answer questions about the activities, which helps to stimulate an interest in understanding how things work. Cultivating an interest in how things work helps students learn to think critically about the world around them. An interest in understanding how things work now, and how things can work in the future, is what drives scientists and engineers developing the future of technology.

At Keysight, our work to build a better planet involves investing in our communities and the future of science and engineering education. We support science events because they help students develop critical thinking skills and promote curiosity about how things work, skills which are essential for advancing innovation. Supporting STEM education through events like these is one of the ways we are championing the innovators of tomorrow.

Originally published on Built From Scratch

ATLANTA, April 25, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Home Depot Foundation will add more than 750 units of supportive housing for veterans facing homelessness through $10.4 million in grants to its nonprofit partners. This funding will support the construction and renovation of supportive housing facilities, critical home repairs to keep at-risk veterans in their homes, and innovative housing solutions that will help more veterans exit or avoid homelessness and access affordable housing.

While veteran homelessness has declined 55% since 2010, more than 33,000 U.S. military veterans still lack access to stable, secure housing across the nation, according to the latest data released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $100 million to help end veteran homelessness since 2011, part of its larger commitment to invest half of a billion dollars in veteran causes by 2025.

“The number of veterans facing homelessness was more than 65,000 when we established our first formal financial commitment to veterans in 2011, and we’re proud to see progress today through significant declines in that figure,” said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “However, there is much more work to be done, and we remain dedicated to working with our nonprofit partners to ensure the heroes who served our nation have a place to lay their heads.”

Through these grants, The Home Depot Foundation and its nonprofit partners will work to end veteran homelessness through several key strategies, including:

Funding programs to help more veterans access housing: U.S.VETS will launch a pilot program in Los Angeles and Hawaii aimed at expanding housing opportunities for at-risk and formerly homeless veterans, with a goal of housing 100 veterans over the next two years. Volunteers of America will provide flexible funding to support veterans facing financial barriers that might be a hurdle keeping them from accessing adequate housing, such as paying a security deposit or providing first and last month’s rent upfront. Community Solutions is expected to help communities house 1,000 veterans across cities including Washington, D.C., Detroit, Jacksonville, Charlotte and Minneapolis through its Built for Zero initiative, a movement to measurably and equitably end homelessness.Preventing homelessness by keeping more veterans in their homes: A grant to the Housing Assistance Council will help low-income, at-risk veterans living in rural communities nationwide stay in their homes through home repairs and modifications.Increasing the number of affordable, supportive housing units available to veterans: Through the Foundation’s Veteran Housing Grant program, nonprofit organizations working at the local level can apply for funding to construct or renovate supportive housing units in their communities. More than $5 million in funding will go to multiple cities across the nation, including Greater Los Angeles, Cincinnati and Charlotte.

“Each case of a veteran at-risk of or experiencing homelessness is unique, with circumstances frequently beyond the veteran’s control,” said Tanisha Smith, vice president of corporate partnerships for Volunteers of America. “Through the latest grant from The Home Depot Foundation, we can address their individual needs on multiple levels, ensuring more veterans find, secure and stay in a place they can call home.”

Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $475 million in veteran causes and improved more than 55,000 veteran housing facilities.

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