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Society of Military Spouses in STEM

Envisioning what doesn't exist yet.

January 21, 2021

SMSS & Freedom Learning Group Team Up for a Day of Service

SMSS and FLG leadership stand ready to serve local communities on MLK Day. Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth O'Brien, FLG CEO. SMSS and FLG leadership stand ready to serve local communities on MLK Day.
Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth O’Brien, FLG CEO.

 

To honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Michelle Aikman, Society of Military Spouses in STEM (SMSS) Co-Founder and Director of External Affairs teamed up with our corporate members Freedom Learning Group’s (FLG) Elizabeth O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer, and Amy Uthe, Chief People Officer, for a day of service at the Excel Academy.

Located in Washington D.C., the Excel Academy specializes in STEM education, arts, and languages. It teaches girls from kindergarten through middle school to become future scholars, innovators, and world leaders.

 

Amy Uthe, Chief People Officer with the Freedom Learning Group,
gets to work painting the nooks and crannies.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth O’Brien, FLG CEO.

 

The SMSS & FLG team volunteered with The Mission Continues, a Veteran service organization dedicated to giving back to communities in need. Their mission was to spruce up the academy’s garden, provide a fresh coat of paint for a new year, and inspire young minds with new outdoor learning equipment.

 

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve,” Dr. King once said. “You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

 

Service members, Veterans, and Military Spouses working at home and around the world know what it means to roll up their sleeves and put service before self. Teamwork and academic and professional excellence in STEM fields are core values at SMSS.

Ideals that Michelle Aikman was proud to put into action on MLK day. “What a joy to represent SMSS today. We came together to make improvements to the very place young minds come to learn about STEM and discover the ways they can make a difference,” says Aikman. “We are grateful for the invitation to spend the day with The Mission Continues to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of helping others.”

 

Michelle Aikman, SMSS Co-Founder and
Director of External Affairs, (standing) refreshes
a classroom wall. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth O’Brien.

 

Freedom Learning Group, a Veteran-owned business, provides Military Spouses and Veterans with meaningful employment opportunities in the educational courseware industry. FLG’s heavy focus in STEM coupled with their brick and mortar-less business model provides Military Spouses and Veterans with flexibility and virtual careers allowing them to remain relevant in their industry while living the unique lifestyle required of a military family. You can learn more about FLG’s dedication to service this January and all year long at their blog.

Elizabeth O’Brien, CEO of the Freedom Learning Group,
prepares a classroom wall for quotes from innovative
world leaders. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth O’Brien.

 

Want to team up with the Society of Military Spouses in STEM and make a positive global impact? Learn how your organization can become an SMSS corporate member.

Article by A.B. Moore SMSS Blog Volunteer / SMSS Updates Leave a Comment

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