ETA hand2mind™ Announces Winners of 'VersaTiles Success Factor Contest'

VERNON HILLS, Ill., June 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ETA hand2mind™– the leader in hands-on learning solutions for P-12 mathematics, literacy, and science education – today unveiled the 16 winners of its "VersaTiles® Success Factor Contest," designed to spotlight how VersaTiles enhances the classroom experience and supports student learning.

The grand-prize winner is Pin Oak Middle School (part of the Houston Independent School District) in Bellaire, Texas for its video submission, "Making Math Fun for Middle School Students," which demonstrated how VersaTiles is used with success in their seventh grade pre-Advanced Placement math and algebra courses.

Pin Oak Middle School wins the first-place prize valued at $50,000, which includes outfitting the entire school with a full range of VersaTiles, including math, science, and reading/language arts. The school also will receive the Core PD™ Professional Growth & Coaching on-site course, Understanding the Mathematical Practices, for all of its math coaches, teachers and curriculum directors.

Lisa Hale, mathematics teacher at Pin Oak, said winning the contest is "a great honor" for her school.

"As a high achieving school, the teachers and staff of Pin Oak are always seeking new ways to engage our students and promote hands-on education," Hale said. "The materials we are to receive from ETA hand2mind will have an immediate impact in the classroom."

The contest's five second-place and 10 third-place winners are:

• Second place: Pinecrest Elementary School (Sylacauga, Ala.); Prairie Crossing Charter School (Grayslake, Ill.); Park Springs Elementary School (Coral Springs, Fla.); Circle Cross Ranch K-8 (Florence, Ariz.); Advent Lutheran School (Boca Raton, Fla.).
• Third place: Summit Charter Academy (Modesto, Calif.); Lake County Baptist School (Waukegan, Ill.); Marion County Public Schools (Ocala, Fla.); Providence Middle School (Richmond, Va.); Field School (Wheeling, Ill.); Reedy Creek Elementary School (Charlotte, NC); Cypress Palm Middle School (Naples, Fla.); St. John the Evangelist School (Altoona, Pa.); Mary B. Neal Elementary (Waldorf, MD.); Cross Timber's Elementary (Azle, TX).

The second-place schools each will receive VersaTiles for a classroom along with the Math Fundamentals Core PD online course (each valued at $2,000), while the third-place schools each will receive a VersaTiles lab of their choice (each valued at $350).

"This contest has been an energizing and fulfilling experience for many people, reinforcing how VersaTiles is positively impacting student achievement," said Jude Rake, president/CEO of ETA hand2mind. "We're inspired by the creativity of the entrants and their compelling stories. They reflect why we are devoted to hands-on learning solutions – that VersaTiles and learning tools like them are proven resources for engaging students and helping teachers create a successful environment in all types of classroom settings." 

All VersaTiles Success Factor Contest video submissions are available for viewing by accessing http://contest.etacuisenaire.com/entries.

For more information about ETA hand2mind, visit www.hand2mind.com.

SOURCE ETA hand2mind