Celebrating summer and school partnerships

As the school year winds down and summer vacation stretches before us, it’s a good time to reflect on all that’s happened since last August. From mastering multiplication to performing in dance recitals, my daughters’ worlds are continually expanding, and I am grateful to the teachers and coaches who have furthered their education. 

On a professional note, I am proud of the relationships the Laboratory has developed with area schools. Through these partnerships, we are able to positively impact students in several ways. The following are highlights of our combined accomplishments for the 2016–17 school year:

Los Alamos National Laboratory Employees’ Scholarship Fund

The fund’s goal is to provide scholarships that support the students of northern New Mexico who are pursuing either two- or four-year degrees in fields that will serve the region. Each year, scholarship contributions are made by Laboratory employees, retirees, and contractors and are matched by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, the operator of the Laboratory.
 In May, we announced the 111 new scholarship winners who will start their higher education career this fall with support from the program.

Los Alamos National Laboratory Employee Giving Drives

Each year Laboratory employees donate funds and goods to support activities, such as the Back to School drive and ProjectProm, which yielded dozens of dresses for area high school students.

The Back to School drive provides student with the necessary school supplies to be engaged in educational activities.

Education Programs/Competitions

Teachers and students participated in Laboratory-sponsored programs and competitions geared to support and stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. From the Hour of Code (which encouraged students to try computer programming for an hour) to RoboRave (a robotics competition in which teams design, build, and program robots) to field trips to the Bradbury Science Museum, students were introduced to a range of activities and concepts that challenged them to learn and practice new skills.

Additionally, Laboratory employees were actively involved in area schools as mentors or to support the various science, engineering, technology, and math initiatives mentioned above—and others.

High School Internship Program Presentation

The High School Internship Program provides qualified northern New Mexico high school seniors with an opportunity to develop skills and gain work experience while receiving exposure to a variety of career fields. This program provides employability skills and assists local high school students with the school-to-work transition. Students in Los Alamos and Española participated in the program this year.  

Community Internship Collaboration

On May 10, the Community Internship Collaboration (CIC) celebrated its fourth successful semester of matching UNM-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) and Los Alamos High School (LAHS) students with local business mentors.

Established to fill an employment gap in the community and expand partnerships between the Laboratory, small business owners and schools, CIC is a partnership of involving UNM-Los Alamos, Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Security, LLC, and the UNM-Los Alamos Small Business Development Center. The program’s goals are to provide meaningful work experiences for students, meet area workforce needs, and to develop the future workforce for the local community, the region and the Laboratory.

¡Arriba! Intern Program

Fourteen students participated in the inaugural ¡Arriba! Intern Program, which is funded by the Los Alamos National Laboratory Community Commitment Plan and done in partnership with Rio Arriba County high schools and Northern New Mexico College. Students learn professionalism and soft skills such as office etiquette and financial literacy.

High schoolers pursue a STEM education.

Here in the Community Partnerships Office, we look forward to continuing such partnerships during the 2017–2018 school year. Please call me if you would like to learn more about our programs. And in the meantime, enjoy your well-deserved summer vacation!

Sincerely,

Kathy Keith, Director
Community Partnerships Office