Tech Citizenship

Hilf

For Kristin Hilf, vice president of community relations, Raytheon Co.’s commitment to math and science education has special meaning. Her son is in middle school — which is right in the crosshairs of where the Waltham-based defense and aerospace firm is focused on changing the lack of interest in math and science. The company’s employees also engage in engineering workshops with high schools and colleges.

“Kids lose interest between 4th and 8th grade,” Hilf said. “We’ve made a more concerted effort over the last few years on math and science education.”

One of these initiatives is through a website, mathmovesu.com. Hilf says one of the goals is to show students that math and science is relevant to their lives. They achieve this goal by introducing familiar concepts to kids in sports, music and fashion. Under “Celebrities+Math” for example, the site includes Red Sox Manager Terry Francona, WNBA star Lisa Leslie, and former soccer player Mia Hamm, along with an explanation of how each celebrity uses math to help them during a game and throughout the season.

Raytheon is involved in other areas, too. Last week, company officials partnered with Blue Star Mothers, an organization of mothers who either have had, or now have, children serving in the military.

Employees helped pack and send care packages to deployed troops overseas. They made so many care boxes that they were able to give 100 to the Eastern Massachusetts chapter and 50 to the Central Massachusetts chapter, which has not been officially established yet.

— James Zipadelli is a freelance writer based in Boston.

Citizenship Facts

Raytheon Co.

Total cash contributions in New England in 2006: $14,760,386

Number of volunteer hours in New England in 2006: N/A

In-kind contributions of equipment and services in New England: $N/A

Principal recipients of charitable activities in 2006: UMass Lowell's DesignCamp; Massachusetts State Science Fair; Participation in and Support of Project Bread's Walk for Hunger

Interesting philanthropic activities: While there are many recipients, Raytheon says its primary focus is on math and science education.

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