Staff of Mayo multinational make STEM activity kits for local schools
AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company which employs approximately 1,300 at its manufacturing site in Westport, has celebrated the first part of its eighth annual Week of Possibilities.
The initiative, the company’s signature community volunteering programme, seeks to empower employees to personally improve the communities in which AbbVie people work and live.
In Mayo, 363 AbbVie employees from the company’s manufacturing facilities in Westport came together to assemble 1,920 ‘Summer Activity Kits’.
The kits will provide children in 18 Mayo schools hands-on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) activities and resources, empowering them to explore, create, and learn about STEM at home in a fun and interactive way over the summer break.
AbbVie volunteers spent more than 484 hours across the week working on the project in partnership with Volunteer Ireland as part of their ongoing commitment to volunteering within local communities.
AbbVie is committed to leveraging its science and business expertise to positively influence education in the communities where it is based.
One key objective is to help transform, promote and support STEM-related projects and activities and AbbVie actively engages with schools, colleges and industry partners to achieve this ambition.
Speaking about the positive impact of the Week of Possibilities outreach Mickey Carney, School Principal, St Brendan’s National School, Kilmeena said: “I take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the volunteers from AbbVie who’ve kindly given up their time to create these fantastic activity kits for our children here at St Brendan’s National School in Kilmeena.
"We were delighted to have been chosen as one the 18 schools to benefit and the children are looking forward to having fun creating these STEM related projects over the summer break.”
AbbVie believes in making a strong commitment to local communities, particularly in STEM.
Commenting on the project Darren Egan, Site Head at AbbVie Westport said: “We were delighted to come together to participate in the first part of our Week of Possibilities 2023 project. At AbbVie, we’re committed to leveraging our science and business expertise to positively influence education in the communities where we are based; one of our key objectives is to help transform, promote and support STEM-related projects and activities in these communities.”
He continued, “Unlocking the potential of the next generation starts with fostering an early love for STEM. We're passionate about inspiring young minds to pursue scientific curiosity and I’d like to thank our employees who have given their time this week to help produce these summer activity kits that are going to empower children in 18 of our local Mayo schools to explore, innovate, and embrace the wonders of STEM.”
The second part of AbbVie’s Week of Possibilities 2023 will take place at the end of June when volunteers from the facility in Westport will visit three local schools in the area to enhance the student experience by revitalising the schools’ outdoor areas.