Make an Impact: Get involved with your local IT community

Hurricane Labs has recently had the opportunity to give back to some of our local classrooms here in the Cleveland area. Empowering students has been a positive reminder about how important local community involvement truly is and why we’re hopeful you’ll choose to get involved in your own way too.

So, what’s the story… Why are we bringing this up? Glad you asked

Imagine 150 eager elementary students getting together and being able to see the world of coding, 3D printing, and other innovative creations come to life. By getting involved, we were able to help this group of students’ have a better hands-on experience and see their creative ideas transform into real-life inventions.

“Badgification” for #LKWDFutureClub

Pretty awesome, right? (At least we think so, considering we’re a bunch of geeks who love this type of stuff).

Another project we were able to fund, was one that allowed middle schoolers to have access to tablets for their research, writing, and building projects. Technology is becoming more and more important, therefore education through technology is crucial.

“Create a Tech Savvy Space for Readers“

There are tons of students who love learning, but whose school systems may not have the means to take their education to the next level. We can only hope that by making the path of technological learning just a little easier, that these young students will continue to grow and learn in various tech-y and science-y areas.

Your brand looks good when you’re actually doing something good

The point is, your company brand values can go beyond your company “borders”. Not only does getting involved do good for the community, it also reflects upon your company, enhances your connections, improves your brand’s reputation, and deepens the appreciation for what you stand for (all of which can positively impact your profits too).

Plus, people like to see a business that plays a part in the greater good – and not just for their own financial gain. The article 4 Ways Your Company Benefits From Giving Back, by John Boitnott, puts it well by saying, “When businesses help other people, those people tend to want to support the company in return.”

Start giving back and see the positive impact you can have

So far, Hurricane has chosen to support students and increase their exposure to innovation, technology, and an enhanced education. Your company may be looking for involvement in a totally different area that connects more closely with your culture.

Ready to make a difference for the community and your company? If you’re looking to support a classroom, like we have, visit DonorsChoose.org .

If you’re needing more inspiration, check out 10 Ways to Give Back to Your Community for other ideas!

P.S. The best part of all…

The best part about DonorsChoose.org is that you can give any amount, see exactly where your donation goes, and get project activity updates. Below is an update from the teacher of the most recent project we helped support:

I cannot begin to thank you enough for the incredible gift you’ve given our students. They have already used these tablets for at least four major projects; the latest of which has been a research project on the Civil Rights Movement.

I am so thrilled to watch them engaged in blogging, creating videos lessons, and writing full stories/papers on their tablets! You can’t begin to imagine how thankful they are! They love days when they get to create slide shows. And, they are so excited to use their tablets to create Claymation videos in the spring to go with their poetry creations.

You have given us a wonderful gift, and I will be eternally grateful!

Original Post Date: March 3, 2016 Updated: March 14, 2016

We ended up funding an additional project, called “iPads for ELLS“, and just received the student thank-yous in the mail (March 14, 2016)! See the pictures below.