Question: What do you get when you put together 40 enthusiastic elementary school girls and 15 DPR employees in a busy DPR office on an otherwise “typical” workday afternoon –then add in a healthy dose of games, food and fun? Answer: a large amount of laughter, positive energy and a living reminder of why Enjoyment is one of DPR’s core values.

That’s exactly what DPR’s Newport Beach employees experienced firsthand when the office hosted more than three dozen youngsters from Girls Inc. Feb. 12. The girls along with about 15 Girls Inc. staff descended on the office about 3:30 p.m., and few of the busy DPR employees could resist the chance to take a break and play. Girls rotated among game stations that included Wii Just Dance in the Innovation room, Twister in the training room, and a giant Jenga and cornhole set up outside. There were plenty of refreshments including a popcorn bar and other kid-friendly snacks set up by the office’s wine bar.

At the end of the afternoon’s festivities, DPR presented the organization with a $40,000 DPR Foundation grant and to offer a few words of support and encouragement. The DPR Foundation funds are earmarked for Girls Inc.’s STEM, College Bound and Career Development programming.

The interactive, fun event involving both the girls and DPR employees offered a break from the usual, more formal check presentation ceremony at the Girls Inc. Youth and Family Center as has been done in the past.

“The goal was to give employees an opportunity to interact with the kids in a fun, safe environment of the DPR offices,” said DPR’s Melissa King. “The event was a blast! It brought so much life to our office to host 40 elementary school girls, all of them living our core value of Enjoyment.”

Girls Inc. of Orange County is one of 15 youth organizations nationally awarded a total of $900,000 in grants by the DPR Foundation in December 2013. Over the past six years, the Foundation has awarded more than $3.2 million to 22 different organizations focused on providing community support to grade school and high school-aged children.