Celebrating Daimler’s commitment to North and Northeast Portland
Daimler treats Rosa Parks students to a tour of a truck at the end of the program year
Throughout the pandemic, In4All partners have held steadfast in their commitment to their communities. Three partners are now in their ninth year and many more are beyond the five-year mark.
We are celebrating all our partners and the teachers that welcome them into their classroom as we move into the 2021-22 program year. Daimler Trucks North America is one such partner who has demonstrated commitment year-over-year as we honed our vision and reimagined our programming to engage students who have been historically underserved in our communities.
A representative of Daimler has been on our board of directors since 2012 and its volunteers helped us shape the STEM Connect program for 4th and 5th grade students in 2013. Today, Daimler is partnering with Boise Eliot Elementary, Rosa Parks Elementary, and Faubion School – providing as many as 30 volunteers each year.
“The In4All program has become a big part of our involvement in the community through the DaimlerCares program,” said Isil Cebeli, an IT Project Manager and In4All board member. “It’s important for getting our name out into the community and letting people know there is a successful business right here that wants to be involved.”
The long-term commitment Daimler has made to the North and Northeast Portland communities is critical to making an impact on students. As Tapiwa (“Taps”) Mavhaire, Design Engineer and past In4All program coordinator, shares, “Consistency is key because change in our communities is not going to happen overnight. We are inspiring 4th and 5th graders who will not graduate from college for years, but we hope they learn more about us and maybe come to work here someday.”
One reason Daimler has grown its commitment over time is the many volunteers who see the impact of being in the classroom. “Many of our volunteers are people of color like me or females who want inspire students to pursue STEM fields,” said Taps. “I feel like it has a great impact when kids see someone who looks like me and who once sat right where they are now.”
“That’s what drives me to volunteer. I want to see more people who look like me every single day. The best way to go about that is to encourage students to learn about STEM and hopefully motivate a few to pursue a STEM career. I’d consider that a success,” continued Taps.
“All our volunteers are excited to talk about what they do and describe how we make a truck so the students get to know us a little,” said Isil. “As a female, I see girls asking lots of questions and getting interested in the subject because they see me as an engineer working for a huge company. Nobody is telling them what they can’t do. I’m a good example of that.”
Daimler sees its involvement in In4All as a great way to build a relationship with the community around it. “It is important for us to learn about our community and what it needs so we can help fulfill that and solve problems together,” said Isil.
We greatly appreciate the partnership we have with Daimler Trucks North America and the support of all the great volunteers we see in the classrooms every year. They are a critical part of creating limitless possibilities for students in North and Northeast Portland. And there is nothing better than seeing the excited looks on students’ faces when Daimler pulls one of their trucks up to the school at the end of the year!