Cambium Learning Technologies Announces 2012 Winner of "Courage in My Community" Essay Contest

NATICK and BOSTON, Mass., April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambium Learning® Technologies and The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, Inc., are proud to announce that Lexi, an eighth grader from Georgia, is the winning author of the 2012 "Courage in My Community" essay contest. This national essay competition challenged middle school students to reflect on and write about the nature of courage and how it manifests in their community and lives.

Each "Courage in My Community" essay was read by a panel of judges who sought to choose an essay that clearly demonstrated the student's understanding of the nature of courage, and one that stood out as being both compelling and true to the student's voice. Lexi wrote about the major changes in her family after her father lost his job, necessitating the family's relocation to a new community. In addition, she emphasized how her father showed courage with his positive approach, which inspired her to be brave about all the changes.

"We received hundreds of essays from school districts nationwide and are pleased that the contest generated such a widespread response," said Alex Saltonstall, general manager for Cambium Learning Technologies. "Our team of panelists chose Lexi's essay because we felt she grasped the meaning of courage and articulated her father's courage, as well as her own."

Here is an excerpt from Lexi's essay:

My dad had courage. He lost his job, had to restart, and continue to be the cornerstone of our family. When he did find a job, it was very far from my old small town. It turned out to not be as bad as I thought. My dad made it a lot easier on me. Seeing the way he handled it, showed me what courage truly is. It changed the way I handle situations. One day, I hope to show that much courage and effect [sic] someone's life like my dad's courage affected me.

To view the essay in its entirety, please visit our website at www.cambiumtech.com.

In recognition, Lexi, her school, and her teacher will receive noteworthy prizes. Lexi will be presented with a Kurzweil 3000® stand-alone version and an iPod® touch during a special ceremony at her school. Her school will receive a Kurzweil 3000/firefly license with a half-day of training, as well as a half-day training by program staff at The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum (valued at more than $3,000). Lexi's teacher will receive a Kindle Touch 3G.

For more information about The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, a language arts and character development program, please visit the organization's website at www.maxcourage.org.

About Cambium Learning Technologies

Cambium Learning® Technologies designs and publishes instructional technology for students in general and special education ranging from preK–adult and comprising four leading industry brands: Kurzweil Educational Systems, IntelliTools, Learning A-Z, and ExploreLearning. Cambium Learning Technologies is a member of Cambium Learning Group (NASDAQ: ABCD) based in Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit www.cambiumtech.com.

About Kurzweil 3000 and firefly

Kurzweil 3000^® is a powerful reading, writing, test-taking and learning tool that makes curriculum accessible for all students. Backed by more than 30 years of research and development, it's widely recognized as one of the most comprehensive and integrated solutions for addressing language and literacy learning difficulties. firefly is a universally accessible web-based literacy solution that provides anytime, anywhere access to digital, text-based content. Kurzweil 3000 and firefly were developed by Kurzweil Educational Systems.

CONTACT: Debby Frohbieter of Cambium Learning Technologies, 781-276-0671, [email protected]

SOURCE Cambium Learning Technologies; Cambium Learning Group