WALTHAM, Mass., April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Volunteer Week, April 15-21, Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) proudly recognizes its many employees who continue to demonstrate extraordinary levels of community engagement year after year. Raytheon employees have strongly and consistently supported math and science education and numerous organizations in their local communities through volunteerism.

Raytheon volunteers more than doubled their reported collective efforts in 2011 compared with 2010 – engaging in a variety of endeavors focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives, support of America's armed services, and projects in the communities in which they live and work.

Throughout the week, Raytheon, on its website and through Twitter via #RTNvolunteers, is featuring employee volunteers from across the country describing why they volunteer. The company is also spotlighting several supported organizations, including MATHCOUNTS®, FIRST®, Project Bread and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, among others, and the importance of volunteerism.

Raytheon volunteers supported more than 250 Raytheon MathMovesU® events across the nation last year. Examples of other employee volunteerism efforts include:

• Arizona: In collaboration with the University of Arizona and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, nearly 100 Raytheon engineers mentored and worked with 350 high school students in Tucson's GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) and MESA (Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement) programs. Together, students engineered their own telescopes to demonstrate the science and principles of astronomy.
• California: In December 2011, more than 100 Raytheon employees, friends and family members gathered to support the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and assembled more than 5,000 food kits that went to hundreds of local families in the community. Since 2005, Raytheon has partnered with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for regular volunteer events.
• New England: The "Science of Sports" partnership between Raytheon and the New England Patriots strengthened last year as 55 Raytheon volunteers made weekly visits to 20 teams of students at Boys & Girls Clubs across New England. The program has now expanded to 75 mentors supporting 23 teams that will compete for scholarships in this year's Science Fair May 6.
• Texas: Raytheon engineers, recognizing the importance of elevating student interest in math and science in their communities, founded the LASER (Leadership and Science Ensures Results) program. In partnership with the McKinney Independent School District, Raytheon volunteers taught leadership principles to McKinney's physics students while reinforcing the physics curriculum throughout the 2010-2011 school year.
• Washington, D.C.: In the spirit of giving, Raytheon employee volunteers partnered with the USO of Metropolitan Washington for a holiday bike build to make the holidays brighter for the children of warfighters at Fort Belvoir, Va. Volunteers put the two-wheelers together, inflated tires, completed quality checks and personally signed gift cards that were attached to each bicycle.

More information about Raytheon's commitment to community engagement may be found on the company's community relations Web page.

About MathMovesU
Raytheon's MathMovesU® program is an initiative committed to increasing middle and elementary school students' interest in math and science education by engaging them in hands-on, interactive activities. The innovative programs of MathMovesU include the traveling interactive experience MathAlive!™; Raytheon's Sum of all Thrills™ experience at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®, which showcases math in action as students design and experience their own thrill ride using math fundamentals; the "In the Numbers" game, a partnership with the New England Patriots on display at The Hall at Patriot Place™ presented by Raytheon; the company's ongoing sponsorship of the MATHCOUNTS® National Competition; and the MathMovesU scholarship and grant program providing more than $1 million in annual funding to students and teachers. Follow MathMovesU and other Raytheon community outreach programs on Facebook and on Twitter @MathMovesU.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2011 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 90 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 71,000 people worldwide. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @raytheon.

Media Contacts

Raytheon Company
Kristyn Lao
781.522.5126
corporatepr@raytheon.com 

InkHouse
Scott Montminy
781.966.4100
raytheonpr@inkhouse.net 

SOURCE Raytheon Company