We recently concluded the Fall 2024 Packing Project in preparation for our Engineering Curriculum! With our new structure of Packing Events, groups were able to sign up for a range of events each focusing on a different branch of Packing. Groups joined us to inventory, prep supplies, pack a week of curriculum for our Virtual Clubs, and to “Pack-a-Club” - packing all eight weeks of curriculum for one site. With this restructuring of our Packing Project we were able to include 24 different groups, 305 volunteers, and pack a total of 7,775 bags.
Packing Events are now held in our Curriculum Packing Center in our new office in Kendall Square office. This new space has improved operations ensuring every girl and gender-expansive youth has what they need every week. At each packing event volunteers learn about our clubs, engage with our curriculum, and become closer as a team as they participate in kit packing and material organization. Our “Pack-A-Club” Partners also get to do one of our hands-on activities and visit the site for which they packed twice during the semester, deepening their relationship with our programs!
Thank you to our hard-working corporate volunteers—Acquia, Astira CP, Alnylam, Bristol Myers Squibb, Droplet Biosciences, Harvard, Larkspur, Merck, Monte Rosa Therapeutics, National Grid, National Society of Black Engineers, Remix Therapeutics, Revvity, Sanofi, Spectrus, Syros, Takeda, Thermofisher, Verizon, Vor Bio—all who elected to invest their time and money to play an essential role in the production of our hands-on, free programming.
“Our volunteers truly enjoyed the opportunity – thank you for allowing us to participate in this meaningful initiative.”- Sunny Hall at Revvity
Top 5 Moments from our Fall 2024 Packing Events:
Of the 24 groups that participated in our Packing Events, each came with a unique workplace culture. MonteRosa and Merck came in their matching company shirts. Droplet Biosciences was no exception, they came well prepared with a five hour water themed playlist to keep themselves entertained while packing while staying on brand.
We were able to collaborate with affinity groups like the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), whose mission is to increase the number of black engineers.
This Fall featured the debut Pack-A-Club Event - our brand new opportunity for groups to pack all of the materials for one specific club location, allowing for a deepened connection between the volunteers and the girls and gender expansive youth at the club.
At the end of our Pack-A-Club events our Program Managers led corporate volunteers through an activity from the Engineering Curriculum. A favorite was a toothpick structure competition, in which small groups competed to build the highest tower out of marshmallows, dots, toothpicks, and straws.
We had mentors old and new make appearances at our Packing Events with their company. It was helpful to have mentors like Kristin from Merck talk about why it was so important to pack the bags accurately so that each girl and gender-expansive youth had what they needed.
Packing for the Spring starts this month! If you're interested in being a part of our Spring 2025 Packing Events, reach out to our Partnerships & Events Coordinator, Kaela Brown, at kbrown@scienceclubforgirls.org. And visit our Packing Partners site page to learn more info about all of our packing opportunities.
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