Does Your Child's School Need a Technology Update?
(ARA) - Raise your hand if you remember watching film reels in school. If you do, it's probably been a while since you were a student. Many of today's classrooms feature advanced audio-visual equipment such as large screen televisions, DVD players, and computers with flat panel monitors.
While it may seem like a lot of bells and whistles, this state-of-the-art equipment serves a serious educational purpose -- helping students to learn and keep pace with technology they'll need to master for life outside of school.
However, not all schools have access to cutting-edge technology. While technology upgrades are high on the wish list of many teachers, parents, administrators and school boards, paying for the necessary equipment often proves to be out of reach for school districts.
A new philanthropy program from Samsung Electronics America called Samsung's Hope for Education aims to award badly needed technology to elementary, middle and high schools. The program will donate a total of $1 million worth of products to selected schools.
The awards will be based on 100-word essays submitted between Sept. 22 and Oct. 31, 2004 through www.hopeforeducation.com, describing how Samsung Electronics technology can benefit a school. Essays can be submitted by students, teachers, parents or anyone who knows of a school in need. All essays will be evaluated by an independent judging committee made up of professionals from the academic as well as the editorial communities. The committee members, authorities of both writing and technology, come from Cornell University, Wharton School of Business, USA Today, TWICE (a consumer electronic trade publication) and PC Magazine. Each school entered has a chance to win the top prize of $100,000 in technology or one of 100 prizes of $10,000 in technology. The individuals who submit the winning schools will receive a 17" Multi-Function LCD Monitor (model 710MP) with TV tuner.
"As a global technology leader, Samsung sees a need to support U.S. schools, educators and students with the latest technology products so that they may more easily find and share key information and knowledge to advance education," says Peter Weedfald, senior vice president of strategic marketing, Samsung Electronics North America.
"With elementary, middle and high school budgets being cut back on an annual basis, there is no better way we can help ensure our children's future than making certain they have the best tools possible to help them enrich and elevate their minds and spirit," he adds.
Hope for Education is just one of the education initiatives supported by Samsung Electronics America. Other programs include scholarships offered in partnership with the American Legion and Samsung's Four Seasons of Hope, a program dedicated to supporting community-based foundations and charities led by well-known sports personalities (www.fourseasonsofhope.com).
For more information on Samsung's Hope for Education, or to submit your 100-word essay on behalf of your school, visit www.hopeforeducation.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
