Looking back and looking forward
Teens created their own business plans and competed for prizes at the Lab-supported Española Valley Teen Biz Challenge in June.CREDIT: David Moore
The holiday period is always a great time to reflect on the year that’s coming to a close, and also to look to the future.
In the Community Partnerships Office, we can look back on another great year partnering with organizations across Northern New Mexico to improve the quality of life for people living here. In 2017, the Laboratory’s operator, Los Alamos National Security, LLC, invested $2.5 million in funding to support education, economic development and charitable giving in the region.
Our new Partnership School Initiative expands the impact on teacher development that the Laboratory’s Math and Science Institute has had since its foundation in 2000. Other Laboratory-supported education programs such as the Electric Car Challenge, the STEM Mentoring Café and the inaugural Summer Physics Camp for Young Women gave hundreds of young people opportunities to learn about science and technology.
The Laboratory is careful to track the impact of our investment. The 2016 numbers for the Lab-funded economic development programs administered by the Regional Development Corporation were recently finalized. Our $550,000 investment resulted in $31.1 million in salaries, and $36.9 million in revenue growth for businesses across the region.
The 2017 Los Alamos Employees Scholarship Fund campaign led to 998 Laboratory donors contributing $396,661, with LANS providing a $250,000 match of employee donations. The annual food drive saw employees and our partners donate 500 boxes of food and 500 turkeys to families in need over the holidays.
During the Employee Giving Campaign, employees pledged $3 million for nonprofits in New Mexico and beyond.
One thread that joins all these efforts is a focus on making the future brighter for the children of Northern New Mexico. Whether it’s directly through volunteers helping kids at the recent Hour of Code events, through helping to grow the economy to create jobs in the future, or through providing support for more than 1000 people in need through our Holiday gift drive.
The New Year will bring new leadership at the Laboratory. As you know, Director Charlie MacMillan retires on December 31, and he will be replaced by Terry Wallace, who presently serves as Principal Associate Director for Global Security at the Laboratory. Wallace was raised in New Mexico, and is a graduate of Los Alamos High School and New Mexico Tech.
Best wishes to all over the holidays, and all of us here in the Community Partnerships Office look forward to 2018 and a renewed commitment to making a difference in our community.
