Lewis Hamilton paid a special visit to students from the team’s Mulberry STEM Academy at the Mulberry School for Girls in East London on Tuesday.
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Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton visited the Mulberry School for Girls in Tower Hamlets, London, on Tuesday (5 December) to see first-hand how the Mulberry Schools Trust and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix’s Accelerate 25 partnership are helping to empower students from under-represented backgrounds towards careers in STEM.
The visit gave Lewis the opportunity to get involved with several hands-on STEM activities, including a STEM fair, learning about coding in a Robotics lesson and enjoying an immersive art experience which showcased the students’ technical skills in digital and production arts. Following the classroom learning, the students delighted in showing Lewis their Racetrack Garage and displayed their Greenpower Trust cars. The students also had the opportunity to ask questions to Lewis and ask for advice as he toured the school.
Among the students chosen to guide Lewis on his visit were representatives from the Mulberry STEM Academy. Formed in 2020 as part of our Accelerate 25 programme, the Academy is an innovative partnership between the team and the Mulberry Schools Trust. Providing imaginative teaching, career coaching and industry experience, supported and coached throughout by team members, the partnership’s main aim is to encourage more diversity in STEM, Formula One, and the team.
Now reaching the end of its third year, the programme has seen 271 students take part to date, with many choosing to pursue STEM learning in their further education. It has also reached hundreds of primary-aged children through a series of dynamic, hands-on Mulberry STEM Roadshow events. Tuesday’s audience included a passionate mix of secondary and Sixth Form students, six Mulberry STEM Academy alumni, 183 students currently enrolled in the STEM Academy, and 28 Year 5 students, all displaying their passion and enthusiasm for STEM subjects.
Dr Vanessa Ogden, CEO of the Mulberry Schools Trust, said:
Sir Lewis is one of the great, inspirational role models of our time. His determination, self-discipline, and commitment to his sport, as well as his authenticity, modesty and kindness, shine through his success on and off the racetrack. Students respect this, and today, they celebrate him – and his achievements – in true Mulberry style. It’s a visit they will remember for the rest of their lives, inspiring them to go on to greater things themselves.
Paul Mills, Chief People Officer at Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix, commented:
Attending Mulberry School for Girls with Lewis and witnessing again first-hand the students’ talent and how bright their futures are is exciting. On behalf of everyone in the team, I would like to thank Vanessa, the Mulberry Schools Trust teachers and staff, and, of course, the students for putting on such a spectacular programme of events for us. We are truly proud of our partnership with the Mulberry Schools Trust, and we can’t wait to see the graduates of our STEM Academy programme walk through our factory doors in the future.
Speaking of his experience, Lewis Hamilton added:
A huge thank you to all the students and staff at the Mulberry Schools Trust for welcoming me into their school. It was an honour to meet so many passionate and intelligent students and to see the game-changing work that the Mulberry Schools Trust and our team are doing to inspire and support young engineers and bring increased diversity to motorsport. I hope the students continue to believe in themselves and go on to show the rest of the world what they are capable of.”
About the Mulberry Schools Trust
The Mulberry Schools Trust is a flourishing collaboration of schools and partners with a focus on delivering high-quality provision for local families in Tower Hamlets and East London. It has provided outstanding education in East London for over 50 years.
The Trust currently comprises founding school Mulberry School for Girls, Mulberry UTC, Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, Mulberry Stepney Green Maths, Computing and Science College, Mulberry Wood Wharf Primary, Mulberry Academy Woodside, Mulberry Canon Barnett Primary and Mulberry Academy London Dock (scheduled to open in 2024).
The Trust believes in outstanding achievement for all and the power of partnerships with families, other local schools and the communities that it serves. It has established the Mulberry Schools Foundation to support its education work more widely.
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