By Ellen H. King
January 20, 2003

Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz invited Cities United for Science Progress (CUSP), a partnership of The U.S. Conference of Mayors and DuPont, to Miami to launch the CUSP SafeCity Initiative and bring the nationally acclaimed CUSP Science in the School Day to a local Miami elementary school. Science in the School Day took plce on December 6.

Mayor Diaz teamed up with the CUSP partnership in their continual effort to bring safety and educational resources to cities nationwide. CUSP's SafeCity and Science in the School Day Initiatives are just two of the resources offered through the partnership to cities nationwide.

Local media, including a photographer and reporter from Miami's leading daily newspaper Miami Herald, were on hand to capture Diaz and a classroom of elementary school students' involvement in CUSP's Science in the School Day. Diaz teamed up with DuPont engineer Cleshea Macklin to lead students in exploring elementary science and engineering principles while conducting a Gumdrop Dome science experiment. Diaz workedside-by-side with students as they hypothesized, theorized, experimented and concluded. Students left the experiment with a heightened interest and new appreciation for science and engineering.

"I recognize how important well-educated children are to the well being of our community and the future of Miami," said Mayor Diaz. "Studies have shown that children have trouble with math and science and I am glad that I can assist in a project that opens kids' eyes to how fun it is to learn about these subjects."

Following the successful school event, Diaz invited some of his top local city officials to join him for an informal hands-on roundtable discussion with members of DuPont's world-renowned Safety Resources Team. The DuPont's Safety Resources team was called on by Diaz to provide the City guidance on how to best tackle the pressing issue of workplace safety and reducing workers compensation costs head-on. By integrating the world-renowned industrial safety expertise of DuPont's Safety Resources into the discussion Diaz and community leaders focused on understanding the current state of workplace safety and its impact on the city's vitality and budget.

Mayor Diaz led the discussion alongside DuPont Safety Resources Global Business Director Rosanne T. Danner and Vice President Carmen Bianco. Together they presented valuable information necessary to begin the dialogue on creating safer workplaces throughout the city. Miami learned that reducing workers compensation costs will improve morale and productivity. The meeting resulted in leading city officials gaining new insights and tools to help protect their valuable employees and financial resources.