Education Outreach
All children have value and potential. Who knows? I may be mentoring a future president, Olympian or Nobel Prize winner.
Susan GibsonEducation Outreach mentor
An award-winning program, EDS Education Outreach enhances the lives of many thousands of students around the world. Education Outreach allows EDS to improve the quality of education through voluntary, hands-on employee involvement and by using state-of-the-art technology to foster a joy of learning and discovery.
We Did Our Homework and Made Education a Priority
Since December 1989 when EDS declared education the number one corporate community priority, EDS employees have worked tirelessly to improve the quality of education. Education Outreach was created to support this commitment. It is a long-term commitment with long-term value that shapes a generation that will one day be EDS' employees, customers and leaders of our world. Education Outreach makes good business sense.
The Concept
The concept of partnering with schools is the cornerstone of the foundation of EDS Education Outreach, as opposed to the more traditional model of adopting schools. EDS' philosophy is that we want to make a difference, not with our money, but with our people.
EDS maintains business/education partnerships with more than 100 schools in 10 countries. Through these partnerships, EDS provides schools with a broad base of programs including mentoring, tutoring, curriculum and career enrichment, staff development, student and teacher grant programs, technical consulting and support, leadership and professional development classes, student recognition programs and many other volunteer efforts.
At the heart of the program are more than 5,000 EDS employee-volunteers. These dedicated men and women commit an average of four hours a month during the business day to the partnership effort. They serve in many roles, from mentors and tutors to role models and friends for children, ages 5 through 18. A goal of Education Outreach is to help our young generation become productive, contributing members of society. The program knows no barriers as it touches children from all economic, social and ethnic backgrounds.
Who Benefits?
Besides the obvious benefits of increasing the quality of each student's education, if we look at the bigger picture, we see that improving entire school systems benefits all members of the community. For example, students benefit from improved self-image and increased motivation, resulting in better achievement; an enriched curriculum; increased awareness of career options; successful role models; and acquisition of new skills.
Teachers benefit from new curriculum and ideas, special programs, improved channels to communicate schools’ goals, increased awareness of business goals and issues, professional development for teachers and staff, and recognition and support.
Our community gains a strong public school system, which attracts new business and industry; a well-prepared work force, which allows businesses to prosper; increased civic cooperation; literate citizenry; and employable public school graduates.