Recent Impact

Discovery Employees in the U.S. and U.K. Team Up to Deliver New Backpacks to School Students

September 21, 2009

Discovery Gets Packing culminated recently with the delivery of new backpacks filled with school supplies to students in London, Miami, New York and Silver Spring. Discovery employees graciously donated enough supplies to help over 2,000 students this school year.

DNLA/USH Employees Celebrate Back-to-School with Students at Two South Florida Schools

On August 27, DNLA/USH volunteers traveled to Collier County in Florida to donate 250 backpacks to students at Immokalee Community School. Principal Manny Touron and the entire Immokalee staff warmly welcomed the Discovery team. They were incredibly appreciative of the backpack donation, and volunteers from Discovery had the opportunity to meet with some of the staff, learn about their community and the need these students had for the supplies.

Henry Martinez and Eileen Montalvo gave a brief introduction to the students and then everyone welcomed a very special guest, Doki, who helped present the students with their new backpacks.

It was a great success and terrific day. The following Wednesday the crew from Discovery traveled to Liberty City Elementary where they repeated the initiative for even more students.

Discovery Celebrates the Success of ‘Discovery Gets Packing’ in London

Pupils from Green Dragon Primary School in Brentford were excited and overjoyed when they received their eco-friendly backpacks filled with stationary to kick start the new school year on September 10. The backpacks were distributed by Arthur Bastings, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Discovery Networks in Europe, Middle East, and Africa and a handful of employees from Discovery’s European headquarters in London.

Not only was the initiative a great success, but received a variety of positive coverage in local papers and on a Brentford community website.

Arthur Bastings said: “We were thrilled to be a part of this initiative. We are committed to supporting the extension of education and by providing these resources. I feel we have given the children the tools needed to stimulate their creative development.”

Jane Buck, Deputy Head Teacher from Green Dragon Primary said: “The children from Green Dragon Primary School were thrilled to receive their new school supplies. The teachers strive to ensure a rich experience inside the classroom and ‘Discovery Gets Packing’ was a fantastic start to the new school year.”

Maryland School Students Start the School Year with Creative New Backpacks

A team of Discovery employees from One Discovery Place, DCTC and Sterling banded together on August 30 to deliver over 400 backpacks to students at Highland Elementary School in Silver Spring. Filled with many of the supplies necessary for doing school work, the backpacks were an welcome highlight on the first day of the new school year!

In addition to Principal Raymond Myrtle, the backpack distribution was attended by Senior Executive Vice President of HR Adria Alpert Romm and Montgomery County officials Dr. Jerry Weast (Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools), Ike Legget (County Executive) and Valerie Ervin (Montgomery County Councilmember).

P.S. 102 Jacques Cartier School Students Start the New Year with Eco-Style

The 300 students at Manhattan's P.S. 102 Jacques Cartier got a great surprise last week when employees from Discovery's New York office descended upon the school with brand new backpacks. On hand to pass out the school supplies were President and General Manager of Animal Planet Marjorie Kaplan and President of Advertising Sales Joe Abruzzese.