RK Logistics, Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation Team Up to Support the “Coding5K Challenge” and STEM Education
Fremont, CA – October 12, 2018 — Nearly 3,300 San Jose school children from grades 2 through 12 are getting structured, hands-on learning to become the next generation of software coders thanks to the “Coding5K Challenge,” a collaborative effort emphasizing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education, and sponsored by a consortium of local government and Silicon Valley businesses.
The Coding5K Challenge is a San Jose Public Library program initiated by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, in partnership with the San Jose Public Library Foundation and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation.
“It’s vital to our Valley’s future to diversify our STEAM pipeline and give every Silicon Valley student the tools needed to succeed in the innovation economy,” said Carl Guardino, President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG). “We can transform the lives and future livelihoods of thousands of young people through our Coding5k Challenge, and the Leadership Group is proud to invest in this remarkable program.” STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.
Fremont’s RK Logistics Group teamed up with the SVLG Foundation to support the educational program. RK Logistics’ $1,000 contribution was made on behalf of Mr. Guardino, who donated an honorarium he received for speaking at a recent RK Logistics-sponsored industry conference.
The Coding5K Challenge engages students, their families, scientists and engineers at neighborhood library branches throughout San Jose. The program is also experimenting with a school-based coding series in an effort to serve more children. The educational and interactive coding programs are age-appropriate and seek to make all children confident in their ability to learn coding.
“We are excited to support this innovative educational program for our local youth,” said Rod Kalune, founder and CEO of RK Logistics Group, which has served the Silicon Valley for over 30 years. “STEM education is vitally important to the future of our business and Silicon Valley’s leadership. With programs like the Coding5K Challenge, we are helping to inspire scientific curiosity and wonder in those who will become the next generation of technologists and business visionaries.”
The Coding5K Challenge has a long-term goal of providing multi-week coding and robotic courses to 5,000 school kids each year starting in 2020. With 2018 as its beta-test year, the program attracted 3,281 kids, exceeding its first-year goal of 2,500. The library also offers a variety of STEM activities at no cost to residents. For more information, visit https://www.sjpl.org/visit-menu.
A privately-held minority business enterprise, Fremont-based RK Logistics Group is a growing local company with over 500 employees. The company has 14 supply chain and manufacturing support operations in the San Francisco Bay Area representing over 800,000 square feet of warehousing, distribution and order fulfillment capacity.
RK also is one of the few logistics providers in the Silicon Valley operating a licensed and fully-staffed Free Trade Zone, which allows local manufacturers to import goods in the U.S., and maintain them in a secured, duty-free environment before being delivered to production facilities and assembled into finished products. Free Trade Zones help businesses improve supply chain velocity while minimizing duties, tariffs and regulatory compliance costs.
RK is also an industry leader in robotics-assisted order picking and fulfillment technologies, and creating special industry-specific programs, such as sequencing parts into lean production lines at automotive and technology equipment factories, and just-in-time (JIT) deliveries to construction sites.
ABOUT RK LOGISTICS GROUP — RK Logistics is a premier 3PL provider of full-spectrum, customized supply chain services for the world’s most demanding customers. RK’s manufacturing support, warehousing, order fulfillment and transportation services feature lean practices, ISO-9001 and CA Board of Pharmacy 3PL Certifications, which is unique to a family-owned business. RK Logistics is also a certified minority business enterprise. For more information, go to www.rklogisticsgroup.com
