Oracle Volunteers Focus on Education in August and September
Blog: Oracle BPM
For many of us as children, the anticipation of a new school year was filled with excitement—new teachers, new school supplies, new school clothes, and endless learning opportunities on the horizon—but not every child has what she or he needs to greet the new school year filled with optimism.
According to UNESCO, an estimated 262 million children and youth around the world aren’t able to attend school, and many who do are not well-equipped to learn and succeed.
Here at Oracle, we believe that education is the foundation of a healthy society and a bright future. It creates opportunity, fosters critical thinking, and builds confidence and character. It’s something we want for everyone. That is why we Focus on Education every August and September.
Equipping the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need isn’t just the responsibility of our schools and teachers. It’s our collective responsibility, as individual community members and as a company. It takes a village and we are a vital part of the village.
OracleVolunteers Go Back to School to Support Students and Teachers
It’s this knowledge that inspires our efforts to support public schools and education-focused nonprofit organizations that awaken and deepen students’ interest in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) and human-centered design.
Through the Oracle Volunteering program, employees rally their colleagues, friends, and families around creative and inspiring volunteering projects to contribute to the great work of public schools and educational nonprofits globally.
While employees create and participate in Oracle Volunteering projects all year, we come together every August and September to double down on advancing education in communities around the world.
From collecting school supplies and delivering backpacks to children in need, to painting classrooms and teaching kids to code, nearly 1,800 Oracle Volunteers led and participated in 185 projects during Focus on Education 2019, donating more than 9,000 hours to 134 organizations across 21 countries.
Here are a few highlights from around the world:
Asia Pacific
In India, Oracle Volunteers collaborated with Pratham Books to celebrate International Literacy Day by training employees and their children as literacy coaches. After completing a literacy session at one of eight Oracle offices, coaches visited community centers and libraries to read with local children.
In Japan, Oracle Volunteers taught coding skills to foster youth with Bridge for Smile, highlighting how technology influences the modern workplace. They also held Java for Kids workshops for students from the Association for Technological Excellence Promoting Innovative Advances (TEPIA).
In Singapore, Oracle Volunteers hosted a series of engaging learning sessions with The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), focused on sparking students’ interest in science and mathematics.
Europe, Middle East, and Asia
In Romania, Oracle Volunteers joined forces with FARA and Fundatia Estuar to support under-resourced students who are at risk of dropping out of school. Employees also held drives to equip students with much-needed school supplies.
In Nigeria, Oracle Volunteers partnered with CivicX to facilitate an innovation lab, that taught young children in rural communities how to use technology to help solve challenges related to healthcare, agriculture, and social equality.
Latin America
Across Latin America, Oracle Volunteers partnered with Junior Achievement to mentor teams of students who designed chatbot solutions to address issues in their communities. These thoughtful AI for Good sessions were led by Oracle Volunteers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico.
In Colombia, Oracle Volunteers led a design thinking session to help students from Colsubsidio envision how to use technology to build a better world. They also supported students in building and presenting their prototypes.
North America
In Redwoods Shores, San Francisco, Santa Monica, and Santa Clara, Oracle Volunteers enjoyed the opportunity to share their professional journeys and show off their workspaces during office visits for students. Through career panels and networking activities, students had a chance to imagine themselves as working professionals.
In Austin, Texas, Oracle Volunteers kicked off a mentorship project with Travis Early College High School, inviting ninth- and tenth-graders to practice soft skills and set goals for the academic year.
These are just a few examples of the amazing projects executed this August and September. For more information on the Oracle Volunteering program, visit oracle.com/volunteering.
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