Northrop Grumman employees become heroes to students

LANCASTER – Linda Verde Elementary School students assembled together for a special school wide assembly Monday morning. They were greeted by representatives from Northrop Grumman and a mountain of school supplies and equipment donated by local Northrop Grumman employees.

“For us, this is more than just helping our local schools as a community partner,” said Michelle Webb, a Corporate Responsibility representative from Northrop Grumman. “We’re helping to create a homegrown future workforce.”

Every year for the last nine years, Northrop Grumman has made donations of school supplies to local schools. Northrop Grumman employees are encouraged to bring supplies or monetary donations during a month long drive in August.

This year the company changed its approach in providing classroom supplies and equipment, like computer monitors, paper and white boards, in addition to school supplies for the students. This was done to help offset the classroom supplies many teachers purchase out of pocket. The total value of the donated supplies and equipment was $11,000.

“Northrop recognized the need to help out our students and our teachers,” said Janice Forte-Watson, Principal of Linda Verde Elementary School. “Because of the equipment, some of this donation will benefit Linda Verde students for years to come.”

Webb asked the group of students if they knew what Northrop Grumman does. She then spoke to the students about the B-2 and Global Hawk, two local aircraft programs. When she asked who is interested in working on things like that, many of the students raised their hands.

Dr. Michele Bowers, Superintendent of the Lancaster School District, was also present at the event. “This donation is so much more than just equipment and supplies,” said Bowers. “It makes heroes of our local engineers. Combined with our math and engineering focused curriculum, it makes engineers into people our students want to emulate. We’re raising the leaders of tomorrow.”