Bell Atlantic Pioneers to Help Wire Classrooms for Internet Access

August 28, 1996

Bell Atlantic Pioneers to Help Wire Classrooms
for
Internet Access

POCA, W.Va. - Attention schools that need assistance in
wiring
classrooms to link their students to the Internet: Help is on the way!

The Bell Atlantic-West Virginia Telephone Pioneers, a service
organization of active and retired employees, has begun a program to
wire classrooms and school libraries so that students can tap the world
of information available on the Internet. This project supports the
Bell Atlantic® WORLD
SCHOOL^(sm) program, under which the
company is making
high-speed Internet access available to 700 kindergarten through
twelfth-grade public schools in Bell Atlantic-West Virginia's service
area.

In addition, the Pioneer Wiring Project falls under the umbrella of
the national Tech Corps initiative,
which is helping schools across
the country prepare for the 21st century through the use of
technology. It also supports West Virginia's efforts as part of
"NetDay '96," a national initiative to wire all K-12 classrooms.

"The Bell Atlantic Pioneer organization includes many current and
former employees who have the know-how and interest to wire
classrooms," said Ernie Jarvis, project manager for the Pioneer
Wiring
Project. "We're happy to help connect our state's students to the
information superhighway."

The Pioneers welcome volunteers to assist in the wiring project.
Interested wirers can register for the project through the Bell
Atlantic WORLD SCHOOL World Wide Web site
(http://www.bell-atl.com/wschool).

To be eligible for the Pioneer Wiring Project, K-12 public schools
must be in Bell Atlantic-West Virginia's service area, have a wiring
technology plan, and provide the necessary wire and jacks. Schools
must complete a request for wiring. Request forms are available from
the Bell Atlantic-West Virginia Public Relations office, Room 518,
1500 MacCorkle Ave. S.E., Charleston, WV 25314. The telephone number
is 1-800-642-8206.

Once a school's request is accepted, Bell Atlantic or Pioneer
representatives will meet with school officials to work through the
details and schedule the wiring.

"This wiring project is one of many examples of how Pioneering has
helped improve the quality of life in communities throughout West
Virginia," said Donna Mayfield, president of the Bell Atlantic-West
Virginia Telephone Pioneers.

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Media contact:

Harry Mitchell (304) 344-7562
harry.j.mitchell@bell-atl.com