As students prepare for the upcoming school year, Astellas’ Information Systems (IS) team reflects on a successful Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) volunteer program, which aimed to enhance the technical education of local students. In the spring of 2018, the IS team hosted students and staff from The Cove School in Northbrook, Ill., which serves grade K-12 children with learning disabilities from 60 school districts throughout the Chicagoland area. Students participated in a full-day visit to gain additional hands-on technology skills. Following their learning sessions with the Astellas IS team, the students left better equipped with the skills and expertise needed to progress in the technology field.

The Cove School provides a vital service to families challenged with finding an appropriate educational setting to meet their students’ complex learning needs. In line with their whole child approach, Cove is active in STEAM education. Through a program underwritten by Astellas USA Foundation, students now have access to cutting-edge STEAM programming. The initiative includes a full range of academic, social and emotional support needed to provide collaborative learning with individualized adaptations for students with learning disabilities.

“The STEAM program at Cove School is a great way to build the bridge between assistance and independence. STEAM gives students the chance to work through projects and work on important life skills such as organization, teamwork and socialization. They learn how to assess and question their results and enhance their final product,” said Tracy Campbell, Technology Facilitator, The Cove School.

The visiting students, ranging from 14 -18 years old, were part of the school's computer repair class, and were interested in coming to Astellas to learn about the daily roles and responsibilities of an IT team.

The day began with a walk through of the IBM work area, where IS colleagues build new laptops and address Help Desk technical questions from employees. Next, the students toured the server room, including the Genius bar, to help them understand how Astellas engages with its customers.

In the afternoon, the students participated in an interactive session to watch the IS team remove and reinstall a laptop hard drive and break open a real server. Following the session, students also had the opportunity to ask questions of their own.

“The students were excited to learn the true ins and outs of an IT department and what it takes to repair and maintain computer equipment each day,” said Stacy Stone, director of Commercial CRM, Information Systems. “It was great to see the kids so engaged during the sessions and to have the opportunity to see the concepts they are currently learning in the classroom come to life.”

Additionally, following the student visit to Astellas, seven Cove students earned Dell certifications in computer maintence. “Our partnership with Astellas has allowed our students to have this opportunity to grow and learn, and has also given our staff the chance to build their knowledge and skills in working with a STEAM curriculum,” said Campbell. “STEAM allows the potential of Cove students to be unlocked, so they can shine.”

As students prepare to head back to school this fall, Astellas wishes all students a wonderful new school year and encourages them to continue to pursue STEM-related opportunities. 

About CSR at Astellas
Living SMART® is the Astellas approach to preparing communities today for what can happen tomorrow. The Living SMART® framework brings together the strength of the charitable Astellas USA Foundation and our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) work to find the areas where we can make the most impact to improve lives. Astellas USA Foundation and Astellas CSR collaborate to create a positive impact on society through three overarching focus areas: health and well-being; Science WoRx® (STEM education); and disaster response. To read more about Living SMART®, see the Astellas Americas Corporate Social Responsibility Report Card.