Post by Okwes on Jul 7, 2007 11:08:30 GMT -5
American Indian Day School Wins First National Verizon Tech Savvy Award
NEW YORK-- In a small day school in the northeast
corner of South Dakota, teachers are helping American Indian parents
write and produce simple children's books to help keep the Dakotah
language alive.
At the same time, the teachers are also helping to close the digital gap
between the generations by introducing the parents to the new world of
technology -- the Internet, digital cameras and publishing software --
that their children use all the time.
For these efforts, the Enemy Swim Day School in Waubay, S.D., has been
named the national winner of the first Verizon Tech Savvy Awards and
honored with a $25,000 award to continue and expand the school's
program.
The school will receive its award Monday evening (March 5) at a banquet
at the 16th annual National Conference on Family Literacy, hosted by the
National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), in Orlando, Fla.
The Verizon Tech Savvy Awards are a joint creation of the NCFL, former
First Lady of Iowa Christie Vilsack and the Verizon Foundation. It is
the first national award designed to provide an incentive for
grassroots, community-based nonprofit organizations and schools to
create programs that demystify technology for parents, enabling them to
better guide their children in the use of new media.
"Closing the digital divide between parents and their children is
paramount to helping parents be a more relevant influence in their
children's lives and a more meaningful advocate for their children's
education," said Vilsack, a Verizon Literacy Champion.
In addition to the national winner, four other programs around the
country will receive regional awards and $5,000 each at the banquet. The
regional winners are:
* Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative, in Providence, R.I., for a
program that teams an English-as-a-second-language teacher with a
technology instructor and a children's teacher to increase parents
computer and technology skills while improving English comprehension
skills. * Iowa Central Community College, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, for its
program that teaches parents how to use the Internet to communicate with
their children's teachers through e-mail, learn about the Web sites
their children visit, and enhance writing and basic computer skills. *
Forrest Outreach Foundation, in Addison, Texas, for its Click-For-
Success program, which offers weekly computer club classes and home
visits where mentors help parents and children work together to improve
computer skills. * LTSC Community Development Corporation, in Los
Angeles, for its DISKovery Angelina program, which helps immigrants
learn to use computers to navigate the challenges of everyday life,
including finding public transportation, child care programs and legal
services.
"To truly improve literacy and education for the 21st century, we need a
comprehensive approach that reaches beyond the classrooms and into
community programs and homes," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick
Gaston. "These programs are prime examples of how technology can be used
to spread educational opportunities to ensure a brighter future for our
communities."
In addition to the Verizon Tech Savvy Awards presentation, those
attending the banquet will be treated to a live short story
improvisation by legendary actor James Earl Jones and 9-year-old
literary prodigy Adora Svitak.
The pair, with the help of technology such as digital cameras, cell
phones and an Internet blog, will work with the audience to create a new
twist on a children's classic, "Robinson Crusoe." Verizon Chief
Information Office Shaygan Kheradpir will lead the audience through the
exercise, demonstrating how technology can affect the creative process.
"This is another example of how multiple generations are critical to the
learning process for the entire family," NCFL President & Founder Sharon
Darling said. "Together, they can build a stronger foundation for
education and lifelong success. In the 21st century, technology must
undoubtedly be a main component of education."
Details of the programs honored at the Verizon Tech Savvy Awards will be
added to the Verizon Literacy Network to serve as an educational
resource, highlighting best practices and approaches for technology
literacy for people of all ages.
Those resources can be accessed online at www.thinkfinity.org
<http://www.thinkfinity.org/> .
Thinkfinity is the Verizon Foundation's signature digital learning
platform, combining authoritative, standards-based K-12 educational
content and robust professional development with research and
evidence-based resources and practices for literacy across the lifespan.
The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications,
is committed to improving literacy and K-12 education; fostering
awareness and prevention of domestic violence; and promoting the use of
technology in health-care delivery. In 2006, the foundation awarded more
than $69 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States
and abroad. The foundation also matched charitable donations from
Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $29 million in combined
contributions. Under the foundation's Verizon Volunteer initiative, one
of the nation's largest employee-volunteer programs, company employees
and retirees have also contributed nearly 3 million hours of community
service since Verizon's inception in 2000.
ARRAY(0x14e8b90)
The National Center for Family Literacy is the worldwide leader in
family literacy. More than one million families have made positive
educational and economic gains as a result of NCFL's work, which
includes training more than 150,000 teachers and thousands of
volunteers. For more information, contact 1-877-FAMLIT-1 or visit
www.famlit.org <http://www.famlit.org/> .
Verizon Communications Inc. www.verizon.com
<http://www.verizon.com/> , headquartered in New York, is a leader in
delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication
innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale
customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless
network, serving more than 59 million customers nationwide. Verizon's
Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the
most expansive wholly owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom,
which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to
deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and
entertainment services to customers. A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a
diverse workforce of approximately 242,000 and last year generated
consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion. For more
information, visit .
VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches
and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and
other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World
Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news <http://www.verizon.com/news> .
To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register
for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.
CONTACT: Brian C. Malina, +1-908-698-3930, Brian.c.malina@verizon.com
Web site: www.verizon.com/ <http://www.verizon.com/>
www.famlit.org/ <http://www.famlit.org/>
www.thinkfinity.org/ <http://www.thinkfinity.org/>
NEW YORK-- In a small day school in the northeast
corner of South Dakota, teachers are helping American Indian parents
write and produce simple children's books to help keep the Dakotah
language alive.
At the same time, the teachers are also helping to close the digital gap
between the generations by introducing the parents to the new world of
technology -- the Internet, digital cameras and publishing software --
that their children use all the time.
For these efforts, the Enemy Swim Day School in Waubay, S.D., has been
named the national winner of the first Verizon Tech Savvy Awards and
honored with a $25,000 award to continue and expand the school's
program.
The school will receive its award Monday evening (March 5) at a banquet
at the 16th annual National Conference on Family Literacy, hosted by the
National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), in Orlando, Fla.
The Verizon Tech Savvy Awards are a joint creation of the NCFL, former
First Lady of Iowa Christie Vilsack and the Verizon Foundation. It is
the first national award designed to provide an incentive for
grassroots, community-based nonprofit organizations and schools to
create programs that demystify technology for parents, enabling them to
better guide their children in the use of new media.
"Closing the digital divide between parents and their children is
paramount to helping parents be a more relevant influence in their
children's lives and a more meaningful advocate for their children's
education," said Vilsack, a Verizon Literacy Champion.
In addition to the national winner, four other programs around the
country will receive regional awards and $5,000 each at the banquet. The
regional winners are:
* Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative, in Providence, R.I., for a
program that teams an English-as-a-second-language teacher with a
technology instructor and a children's teacher to increase parents
computer and technology skills while improving English comprehension
skills. * Iowa Central Community College, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, for its
program that teaches parents how to use the Internet to communicate with
their children's teachers through e-mail, learn about the Web sites
their children visit, and enhance writing and basic computer skills. *
Forrest Outreach Foundation, in Addison, Texas, for its Click-For-
Success program, which offers weekly computer club classes and home
visits where mentors help parents and children work together to improve
computer skills. * LTSC Community Development Corporation, in Los
Angeles, for its DISKovery Angelina program, which helps immigrants
learn to use computers to navigate the challenges of everyday life,
including finding public transportation, child care programs and legal
services.
"To truly improve literacy and education for the 21st century, we need a
comprehensive approach that reaches beyond the classrooms and into
community programs and homes," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick
Gaston. "These programs are prime examples of how technology can be used
to spread educational opportunities to ensure a brighter future for our
communities."
In addition to the Verizon Tech Savvy Awards presentation, those
attending the banquet will be treated to a live short story
improvisation by legendary actor James Earl Jones and 9-year-old
literary prodigy Adora Svitak.
The pair, with the help of technology such as digital cameras, cell
phones and an Internet blog, will work with the audience to create a new
twist on a children's classic, "Robinson Crusoe." Verizon Chief
Information Office Shaygan Kheradpir will lead the audience through the
exercise, demonstrating how technology can affect the creative process.
"This is another example of how multiple generations are critical to the
learning process for the entire family," NCFL President & Founder Sharon
Darling said. "Together, they can build a stronger foundation for
education and lifelong success. In the 21st century, technology must
undoubtedly be a main component of education."
Details of the programs honored at the Verizon Tech Savvy Awards will be
added to the Verizon Literacy Network to serve as an educational
resource, highlighting best practices and approaches for technology
literacy for people of all ages.
Those resources can be accessed online at www.thinkfinity.org
<http://www.thinkfinity.org/> .
Thinkfinity is the Verizon Foundation's signature digital learning
platform, combining authoritative, standards-based K-12 educational
content and robust professional development with research and
evidence-based resources and practices for literacy across the lifespan.
The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications,
is committed to improving literacy and K-12 education; fostering
awareness and prevention of domestic violence; and promoting the use of
technology in health-care delivery. In 2006, the foundation awarded more
than $69 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States
and abroad. The foundation also matched charitable donations from
Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $29 million in combined
contributions. Under the foundation's Verizon Volunteer initiative, one
of the nation's largest employee-volunteer programs, company employees
and retirees have also contributed nearly 3 million hours of community
service since Verizon's inception in 2000.
ARRAY(0x14e8b90)
The National Center for Family Literacy is the worldwide leader in
family literacy. More than one million families have made positive
educational and economic gains as a result of NCFL's work, which
includes training more than 150,000 teachers and thousands of
volunteers. For more information, contact 1-877-FAMLIT-1 or visit
www.famlit.org <http://www.famlit.org/> .
Verizon Communications Inc. www.verizon.com
<http://www.verizon.com/> , headquartered in New York, is a leader in
delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication
innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale
customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless
network, serving more than 59 million customers nationwide. Verizon's
Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the
most expansive wholly owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom,
which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to
deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and
entertainment services to customers. A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a
diverse workforce of approximately 242,000 and last year generated
consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion. For more
information, visit .
VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches
and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and
other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World
Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news <http://www.verizon.com/news> .
To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register
for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.
CONTACT: Brian C. Malina, +1-908-698-3930, Brian.c.malina@verizon.com
Web site: www.verizon.com/ <http://www.verizon.com/>
www.famlit.org/ <http://www.famlit.org/>
www.thinkfinity.org/ <http://www.thinkfinity.org/>