This year, our families – like many others – had to celebrate Bring Your Child To Work Day a little differently.
Normally, children of Agency officers would be exploring the halls, learning about the important mission that brings their parents to work everyday. In lieu, we prepared new “Spy Kids” content as a way to open our “virtual doors” not only to our own children, but also to all of America’s kids.
Director Burns shared a special message with our Agency families, which you can watch below.
If you’d like to check out some of the new content we’ve released, head over to our Spy Kids site. There you will find:
- A letter from Director Burns;
- “Armchair travel” lesson plans for parents and teachers;
- A new memory game.
A Message from Director Burns
Hi everyone! I’m Bill Burns, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. I’m delighted to have the chance to talk a little about “Bring Your Child to Work” Day, and its significance for me, CIA, and our country.
I’ve always been a big fan of “Bring Your Child to Work” Day. I’m the father of two wonderful daughters, Lizzy and Sarah, both of whom have rewarding professional careers. I’m deeply proud of them. And I ’d like to think that they benefitted from living with a model of professionalism. No, not me, but my amazing wife, Lisa, herself an exceptional public servant for over three decades.
Each and every day, my daughters saw how important it was to approach work with commitment and pride. Looking back, it wasn’t always easy. The hours were often long and finding the right work-life balance was an art rather than a science.
But I think that our children recognized how rewarding a professional career can be. And I hope that your families feel the same way.
Now, this year, our celebration will look different for our Agency families. But as is often the case in intelligence work, challenges can provide creative opportunities. So while our Headquarters physically remains off-limits, we are able to throw open our virtual doors not only to our own children, but to all of America’s kids.
I encourage you all to check out the “Spy Kids” section on CIA.gov. There is a great activity packet as well as several games and lesson plans for parents and students to enjoy. And you can see photos of our beloved professional dogs who keep the CIA family safe! Adaptability, enthusiasm, and a sense of adventure are key qualities for any aspiring intelligence officer.
I hope our virtual offerings for “Bring Your Child to Work Day” inspire as well as entertain. Thanks so much and I hope you have a wonderful day!