Remarks of OPM Director John Berry
National Education Month
March 28, 2011
In honor of National Education Month, OPM Director John Berry participated in various local community events and activities.
OPM Director John Berry Gives Remarks to Roosevelt High School and Urban Alliance Students
During OPM's week of highlighting and sharing the importance of education, OPM Director Berry joined the Principal of Roosevelt High School, Ivor Mitchell, and Executive Director of Urban Alliance, Veronica Nolan, for an assembly at Roosevelt to inform students and educators about the OPM's partnership with them through the agency's pilot Adopt-a-School and Urban Alliance program and to discuss the various opportunities for them within the Federal Government. The Adopt-a-School is a partnership between OPM and the District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) system. It is OPM's goal that within a year, agencies and school districts across the country will join together to establish or re-establish relationships that will benefit students and create a stronger community partnership, through ongoing engagement activities, internship opportunities and a mentoring program. Remarks were given by Director Berry before approximately, 230 students, teachers, administrators, and parents.
Lunch with OPM's Roosevelt High School and Urban Alliance Interns and the Presidential Management Fellows
OPM Director John Berry joined OPM interns of the Urban Alliance and Roosevelt High School and the Presidential Management Fellows for a pizza lunch. He personally thanked the interns for helping OPM during the school year.
OPM Director John Berry Gives Remarks at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition in Washington, DC
The Director closed the week by attending the Washington, DC Regional FIRST Robotics Competition held at the Convention Center to address corporate, organization, industry leaders and guests during a breakfast. This year marked the 20th season for the competition. FIRST's mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
Remarks were also delivered at the Opening Ceremony before approximately 2,000 students, teachers, and sponsors. Then, the competition began with students on 63 high school teams from 10 states. The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico designed and built robots to compete in the DC Regional. Each team received the same components and no instructions to accomplish their engineering challenge.