IBM Celebration of Service Day
On June 15, 2011, IBM celebrated its 100-year anniversary with a firm-wide global day of service. Locally, Volunteer Fairfax, through its BusinessLink program, helped IBM engage 80 employees in service at two local Title 1 elementary schools. With the basis that IBM wanted to use the skills and resources it had available to impact students through education, Volunteer Fairfax worked with selected schools to implement in-class activities with the students.
Volunteer Fairfax worked with the schools to identify appropriate science-based activities to be implemented in the classrooms. One such activity allowed IBM employees to help students in a 5th grade class learn about gravity through an egg-drop activity. One teacher said “The impact IBMers bring to the schools is invaluable and students are encouraged to value education through these activities”. IBM employees left energized as they experienced firsthand how their work impacted the communities they reached.
Volunteer Fairfax commends IBM on their year-long initiative aims to provide its employees with the opportunity to participate in projects to support community needs. Sam Palmisano, IBM’s Chairman, invited all IBMers to join him in community service pledging at least eight hours during 2011. As of July, IBM pledged and tracked nearly 2.7 million hours of service in fields such as human services, community & economic development, K – 12 education, health, culture, and others.
2011 Accomplishments
- Provided TryScience Activities encouraging education in math, science and technology
- Supported school staff by providing assistance in math labs, science labs, reading labs and libraries
- Encouraged and promoted the continuance of education through Career Talks
- Rewarded students graduating from elementary school through fun educational games
