The comic books are read by a trio of Deloitte women leaders, who are also featured in the books as main characters. Janet Foutty, executive chair of the board, Deloitte US; Catherine Bannister, development and performance leader, Deloitte Services LP; and Nishita Henry, chief innovation officer, Deloitte Consulting LLP share the stories of Ella the Engineer, a fearless young girl who uses science and technology to solve problems and save the day. Interactive toolkits created to complement the story time readings include materials to help foster discussions around mentorship, education, inclusion and equality, all told through a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) lens.
Virtual reading series
Deloitte's involvement in this creative project underscores its long-standing commitment to diversity, inclusion and STEM education. It also marks the continuing collaboration between Deloitte and The Ella Project that began in 2018. The series promotes female leadership and encourages young women to explore the exciting world of STEM.
The readings and toolkits are one element of Deloitte's ongoing mission to promote parity and empower women in STEM fields. Women currently represent only 29% of STEM jobs in the U.S., according to research from Catalyst. Additionally, fewer than 12% of STEM jobs are held by women of color. Representation of women among board directors in the technology industry also remains low.
"Deloitte is committed to creating unique opportunities to spark interest among young girls and other underrepresented minorities to pursue and thrive in careers in STEM and STEM adjacent fields," said Foutty. "We are thrilled to come together with The Ella Project by providing fun and engaging virtual learning resources for the next generation of STEM leaders. We hope parents and their children view the readings together, dive into the interactive toolkits, and inspire a lifelong interest in STEM."
To view the readings, please visit the links below.
- Janet Foutty, executive chair of the board, Deloitte US, reads "GoPro Hedgehog"
- In the book, Foutty's character encourages Ella to use analytics to piece together the whereabouts of her stolen class pet.
- Nishita Henry, chief innovation officer, Deloitte Consulting LLP reads "The Burping Caper"
- In the book, Ella and her best friend work together with guidance from Henry's character to tackle an uncontrollable burping epidemic through creative problem-solving and teamwork.
- Catherine Bannister, development and performance leader, Deloitte Services LP, reads "Glitchtown"
- In the book, Bannister's character guides Ella through a challenge with the city's Internet, teaching her about confidence and mentorship in the process.
Ella the Engineer comic book interactive toolkits
After viewing the virtual readings, students and parents are encouraged to complete the new, corresponding interactive toolkits. Within each toolkit is an electronic version of the comic book, vocabulary words from the reading materials, and discussion guides prompting conversations related to the issue's themes of mentorship, teamwork, self-confidence and creative problem-solving.
Parents are encouraged to keep the conversation going by sharing photos of their child engaging with Ella and the toolkit. Connect with Ella on social media by using #LearningwithElla on Twitter at @EllaTheEngineer, Instagram @ellatheengineer, or on LinkedIn at The Ella Project.
"With the need for at-home learning and activities this summer and possibly beyond, we are delighted to offer at-home resources that bolster an interest in STEM education in a valuable continuation of our collaboration with Deloitte," said Ella founder Anthony Onesto. "As our partnership continues into areas we didn't even imagine, our goal remains to inspire future leaders."
For access to all Ella the Engineer digital resources including the virtual readings, and interactive toolkits, visit www.deloitte.com/us/ellatheengineer.
About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500® and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today's marketplace — delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Now celebrating 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's more than 312,000 people worldwide make an impact that matters at www.deloitte.com.
About The Ella Project
The Ella Project was created to ensure that girls passionate about science, technology, math, engineering, computers, entrepreneurship, and other similar interests have a hero with whom they can identify. In addition to publications like Ella The Engineer, The Ella Project aims to bring together remarkable women in one place, share their inspiration, provide a glimpse into how they've achieved success, and offer advice to future leaders. You can learn more about The Ella Project at www.theellaproject.com.
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.
SOURCE Deloitte
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