Floyd County Schools to launch "It's All About Success" Initiative with $100,000 contribution from AT&T

HI HAT, Ky., Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* today announced a contribution of $100,000 to the Floyd County Schools to help fund the "It's All About Success" program providing targeted intervention and  academic support and enrichment for "at-risk" students.

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"There is no greater investment that any organization can make than in the education of Kentucky's future leaders," said Kentucky Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo. "The work of the Floyd County Schools is to be commended as they keep our youth on track to graduate high school and prepare them to succeed in college or the workforce."

The program will provide summer enrichment and remediation opportunities for incoming high school freshmen and expand an advisor/advisee program in high schools across the school district.  It also will expand use of the WhyTry curriculum and increase opportunities for high school students to engage in credit recovery and remediation courses at more sites and during evening hours.

"It takes the partnership of government, business and families to contribute to programs like this one that directly benefit our students by making sure they graduate high school with the skills they need to live, work and raise a family here in Kentucky," said State Senator Johnny Ray Turner.

Because of the proven results of Floyd County Schools along with the support of legislative and community leaders, "It's All About Success" has been named as one of 47 recipients nationwide that will share in nearly $10 million from AT&T during this phase of the AT&T Aspire program.  With more than 1 million students impacted since its launch in 2008, the AT&T Aspire program is one of the largest corporate commitments focused on helping more students graduate from high school ready for college and careers.  AT&T announced an additional quarter-billion-dollar expansion to the program earlier this year, bringing the total commitment to $350 million.

"The mission of Floyd County Schools is 'to educate all students to become proficient life-long learners' and to 'build a better future, for every child, every day,'" said Superintendent Dr. Henry Webb. "Floyd County Schools has been a 'district on the move' over the last few years according to federal and state test results. Our test scores are increasing and due to the teamwork and dedication of our staff, students, and community our district has moved from a 3.82 drop-out rate in 2008 to 2.1 in 2010.  Floyd County Schools continue to provide avenues for our students to reach their greatest potential.  Efforts in our district's Renaissance Learning Center (RLC) program have had positive results, including the on-time graduation of more than 27 students who had fallen behind in coursework prior to their senior year.  Our work with AT&T will help to broaden the work of the RLC program and provide enhanced academic support and enrichment activities for our high school students."

Applicants were evaluated based on their accomplishments in serving students at risk of dropping out of high-school and their ability to use data to demonstrate the effectiveness of their work.  After a rigorous and competitive process, Floyd County Schools was identified as making a real difference in their community by supporting and motivating traditionally underserved students to stay in school and prepare for the next step in life.

"We are committed to the communities we serve," said AT&T Kentucky President Mary Pat Regan.  "We appreciate the leadership that Floyd County Schools is taking to develop innovative programs that will bring positive results for student leaders."

The funding provided by AT&T for the "It's All About Success" initiative will broaden the district's high school adviser/advisee program by expanding the use of the WhyTry curriculum, providing summer programs and additional class time for needed remediation, and will result in an increase of student on- time promotion, graduation, and academic success of our high school students.

About AT&T 
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse^® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

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About Philanthropy at AT&T  
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives, AT&T has a long history of supporting projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2011, more than $115 million was contributed through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.