Press releases
Atkins helps support at-risk middle school students through grant to United Way of Northeast Florida - October 23, 2012
Jacksonville, FL — Sixth-grade students in Northeast Florida who are struggling in school now have an even greater opportunity to get help through a $10,000 grant from Atkins, one of the world’s top-ranked engineering and design consultancies. The grant was recently presented to the United Way of Northeast Florida’s for its Achievers for Life (AFL), a dropout prevention program that gives students the resources and support they need to get on track to graduate—before they even begin high school.
The grant, sponsored by senior group manager Wiley Page of Atkins’ Jacksonville office, connects sixth-grade students who need extra help to successfully make the middle school transition in Duval County, with achievement advocates that work with the students to help them improve their classroom performance. The program also provides family advocates to conduct assessments and link parents with community resources that can help their families succeed at home.
“AFL is a great cause,” said Page. “The program really goes above and beyond to help students in need. Supporting kids at an early age can really make a difference in their future.”
The grant was made by the Atkins Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) foundation sponsored by Atkins’ North American business operation. The Atkins Foundation has contributed a total of $25,000 to the AFL program in Northeast Florida as a result of a five-year commitment, supporting the AFL program in two middle schools and providing assistance to more than 150 student and their families every year.
“We are thrilled to have on-going support for the AFL program from Atkins,” said Connie Hodges, president of United Way of Northeast Florida. ”The company’s regular contributions have helped fuel our mission to help kids get back on track to lead successful lives. “
The Atkins Foundation was established in 2006, and has since given about $1.7 million to community agencies and educational institutions nationwide. The foundation’s grants represent a combination of employee donations and company matching funds, and are presented on a quarterly basis to educational initiatives, public charities, and programs that provide relief for those affected by natural disasters. For more information about the Atkins Foundation, visit its Web site.
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For more information:
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Carol Hobbs
Communications Director
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Tel: +1 407.806.4139
carol.hobbs@atkinsglobal.com
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Notes to Editors
Atkins (www.atkinsglobal.com) is one of the world's leading engineering and design consultancies*, employing some 17,400 people across the UK, North America, Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Europe. It has the breadth and depth of expertise to plan, design, and enable some of the world's most technically challenging and time-critical infrastructure projects.
*It is the largest engineering consultancy in the UK (New Civil Engineer Consultants File 2012) and the 14th largest global design firm (Engineering News-Record 2012).
Recent projects include:
- Critical program management of storm protection works in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Southern Louisiana, providing expertise in coastal restoration, engineering, environmental and GIS support to rebuild defenses and protect habitats.
- Architectural and construction phase services for the new Tyndall Air Force Base Fitness Center, meeting LEED Platinum standards without impact to project cost.
- Equal partner in a joint venture that is providing full-service program/project management support for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a $7.8-billion project encompassing ecological restoration, water storage, flood control, and recreation.
- Key transit projects – member of joint venture providing general engineering consultant team for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and project management oversight contractor for the Federal Transit Administration for major transit projects throughout the US.
- Lead firm on the Ascend, Joint Venture, LLC team, which is designing the $1.2-billion Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. International Terminal roadway system at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
- Meeting stringent nutrient removal requirements for wastewater treatment plants in the Chesapeake Bay area through design of upgrades to Howard County, Maryland’s Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission’s Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant, and design and construction of enhanced nutrient removal facilities at Anne Arundel County’s Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant.
- Multi-year architecture-engineering construction management services for the National Park Service in the USA, including projects such as rehabilitation of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Administrative Complex at California’s Death Valley to meet the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification standards.
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Atkins’ Jacksonville, Florida staffers present an Atkins Foundation grant check to the United Way of Northeast Florida to support the Achievers for Life (AFL) program. Left to right: Atkins transportation planner and United Way coordinator Audrey Postal; Connie Hodges (president, United Way of Northeast Florida); Atkins office manager and senior transportation group manager Wiley Page; and Kim Kaye (VP of resource development, United Way of Northeast Florida).
Photo credit: Atkins
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