Virginia Kids Get Free, Fun, Educational Resources to Help Get Them Ready as They Return to School

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As schools open across the commonwealth, 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.

Verizon employees also collected and donated more than $9,200 in supplies for 15 Virginia schools and nonprofit organizations.

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

"Math and science are foundational elements of education that can create anxiety for parents and students alike," said B. Keith Fulton, vice president of government affairs for Verizon Virginia.  "Verizon's free education site, Thinkfinity.org, offers an innovative collection of easily accessible games, videos and podcasts appropriate for all grade levels 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."

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 suitable for children in kindergarten through the 12th grade.  Among the most popular educational games, which can all be accessed from Thinkfinity, are:

• neXtu, from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  Students can arrange geometric pieces with point values to accumulate points – and steal points from their 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.

Employees at 20 Verizon locations in Virginia participated in the company's Tools for School campaign, which collected $9,200 worth of school supplies for 15 schools and nonprofits throughout the commonwealth.

The Virginia recipients are: Barcroft Elementary School in Arlington; City of Chesapeake Youth Services; J.A. Chalkley Elementary School in Chesterfield; Leaves for Learning in Culpeper; Magruder Elementary School in Newport News; St. Helena Elementary School in Norfolk; Langston Hughes Middle School in Reston; Chimborazo Elementary School in Richmond; George Mason Elementary School in Richmond; Ginter Park Elementary School in Richmond; Burlington Elementary School in Roanoke; Mount Pleasant Elementary School in Roanoke; Loudoun County Abused Women's Shelter; Loudoun County Public Schools; and Richmond County Elementary School in Warsaw.

Across the country, more than 20,000 students in 215 schools and nonprofit organizations in local communities will receive more than $218,000 in new and gently used school supplies, including rulers, backpacks, crayons and other items.  Verizon employees have collected more than $1.4 million worth of supplies nationally since the company launched the Tools for School program in 2008.  The program focuses on schools with large numbers of students in need.

In addition, Verizon employees and members of the public donated more than $11,000 to fund more than 80 school projects across the country.  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