Verizon Offers Free, Fun, Educational Resources to Help Kids in Maryland and the Nation's Capital as They Return to School

BALTIMORE, Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As schools reopen across Maryland and Washington, D.C., Verizon is encouraging parents to use the educational games on Thinkfinity.org to help kids brush up on their math, science and language arts skills after the long summer break.

According to the National Summer Learning Association, all young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer.

"The increased emphasis on math and science learning in school can create anxiety for parents and students alike," said William R. Roberts, Verizon's president in Maryland and Washington, D.C.  "That's why Verizon's Thinkfinity.org education platform provides innovative yet fun ways for students to understand the sometimes difficult subject matter.  We offer a collection of easily accessible games, videos and podcasts appropriate for all grade levels and that takes the stress out of learning and puts the fun front and center.  The more a student enjoys learning, the more he or she will comprehend the subject."

Verizon's Thinkfinity (www.thinkfinity.org), is an interactive educational platform that provides tens of thousands of free resources for use in and out of the classroom and is suitable for children in kindergarten through the 12th grade.  Among the most popular educational games, which all can be accessed from Thinkfinity, are:

• neXtu, from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  Kids arrange geometric pieces to accumulate points values and steal points from the opponent – in this game that's about chance and strategy as well as nimble math skills. (This is just one of many games at the popular Calculation Nation site.)

• Gravity Launch from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  Kids can master the force of gravity by launching a virtual rocket into space and using the earth and the moon's gravity to steer its trajectory.

Click here for more online educational games or visit www.thinkfinity.org/games-and-tools.

Through Collections and Donations, Verizon Provided More Than $300,000 in School Supplies in Annual Campaign

As school starts, 20,000 students in 215 schools and nonprofit organizations in local communities across the country will get the tools they need to have a successful school year.  In Verizon's annual Tools for School drive, Verizon employees, customers and the general public collected and donated new and gently used school supplies, including rulers, backpacks, crayons and other items children need to start the school year.  

Employees at nine Verizon locations in Maryland and the District participated in the month-long campaign.

The school supplies will be distributed to 11 schools and nonprofit organizations in the region, with a specific focus on schools with large numbers of students in need.  Since its launch in 2008, the annual campaign has collected more than $1.4 million worth of supplies nationally.  

This year's recipients include Drew Elementary School, Harriet Tubman Elementary School and Kramer Middle School in D.C.  In Maryland, the recipients are the Allegany County Board of Education (Cumberland); Banner Neighborhoods School Festival (Baltimore); Bluford Drew Jemison Stem Academy (Baltimore); Francis Scott Key Elementary/Middle School (Baltimore); Gaithersburg Elementary School; Glen Haven Elementary School (Silver Spring); Laurel Woods Elementary School; and Robert Frost Elementary School (New Carrollton).

"Having school supplies in hand when you walk into a new classroom is vitally important for every child," Roberts said.  "Verizon's contribution makes it possible for students to have the resources they need to focus on learning in the classroom."

In addition, Verizon employees and members of the public donated more than $11,000 to fund more than 80 school projects.  The projects were posted on DonorsChoose.org, a nonprofit organization that allows contributors to donate to a myriad of education projects at public schools throughout the country.  

To further encourage donors to participate, the Verizon Foundation provided DonorsChoose.org a grant of $10,000 for use as matching funds for science, math or technology-related projects.  Close to 10,000 students in classrooms across the country will benefit directly through the projects funded on DonorsChoose.org.

In total, Verizon provided more than $300,000 through collections and donations to help more than 30,000 students return to school with the right tools.

The Verizon Foundation uses its technology, financial resources and partnerships to address critical social issues, with a focus on education and domestic violence prevention.  Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered nearly 6 million hours of community service since 2000.  For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 106 million total connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 196,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon