Every week, the Laboratory’s Community Partnerships Office organizes a volunteer event for employees to support one of the Lab’s long-term nonprofit partners. Depending on the week, volunteers might be preparing meals with Kitchen Angels, helping with a mobile food distribution run by The Food Depot or, as was the case on March 20, heading to Española Humane to work with the shelter’s animals.
The 13 volunteers walked dogs, cuddled puppies, socialized cats and filled enrichment puzzles. The extra help once a month is valuable, as Ben Swan from Española Humane explains: "The impact is immediate. A walk builds confidence, a cuddle lowers stress, and a simple puzzle turns an ordinary afternoon into something exciting. It all helps prepare animals for the homes waiting ahead."
LANL Foundation supports educators achieving National Board Certification
With the help of the LANL Foundation, 14 Northern New Mexico educators recently reached a major professional milestone by achieving or renewing their National Board Certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Made possible in part through the support of Laboratory operator Triad and the Lab’s Community Partnerships Office, the LANL Foundation’s National Board Certification for Local Teachers program (NBCT) provides teachers with scholarships and pairs candidates with learning facilitators to guide them through the certification process. It also helps teachers who already hold National Board Certification renew their credentials. Candidates in the LANL Foundation cohort have access to a menu of support from the New Mexico NBCT Network, the statewide organization that advocates for National Board Certification.
Research shows that teachers who have achieved their certification see increased student academic performance and success within the classroom, benefiting their students and the wider community.
