BELL ATLANTIC DONATION ALLOWS D.C. STUDENTS TO PERFORM IN HOLLAND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 1996

BELL ATLANTIC DONATION ALLOWS D.C. STUDENTS TO PERFORM IN
HOLLAND

Washington, D.C. -- A group of 16 dance students from
Washington's
celebrated Duke Ellington School of the Arts will perform at The
Stichting, Multi-Kulturele Aktiziteiten Utrecht, an international
dance festival in Amsterdam, Holland, thanks to a $7,500 gift from
Bell Atlantic.

The school had only a few weeks to raise money for the trip, and
needed the donation today to purchase airline tickets at a discounted
fare. Bell Atlantic came to the rescue.

Her Majesty The Queen of the Netherlands visited the school with His
Royal Highness Prince Claus in November, 1995. At that time, Dutch TV
broadcast the students' performance and Her Majesty the Queen asked
the dancers to perform in Holland.

"Our Dutch sponsors will provide room and board once we arrive in
Holland; however, under the terms of their government, the air fare
will not be provided," said Lynn Welters, chairperson of Duke
Ellington's dance department. "I didn't see how we would be able to
raise the money so quickly, so I am just ecstatic that Bell Atlantic
responded to our emergency request."

"Despite the minimal dance experience of many of the dance students
prior to their enrollment at Ellington, the school's dancers now
perform with the dignity, poise and precision of skilled dancers,"
said Carolyn Wilson, Duke Ellington's principal. "Performing in
Holland maybe a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these youngsters,
many of whom have never traveled abroad. In addition, the trip will
allow the dancers to serve as ambassadors for the District of Columbia
Public School System and the United States of America."

"It means a lot for us to be able to instill pride and confidence in
children," Aubrey Sarvis, Bell Atlantic's vice president of federal
relations said when he presented the check to the school among
cheering students. "Supporting these dancers extends our commitment
to education, and demonstrates our on-going support for our
community."

"We are extremely grateful to Bell Atlantic for this extraordinary
gift which will make it possible for Ellington dancers to see more of
the world in which we live and for an international audience to
experience the talents of Washington D.C.'s premier school of the
arts," said Richard Klein, the school's director.

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts is an award-winning public high
school in the District of Columbia, and the recipient of the
prestigious Blue Ribbon of Excellence Award from the U.S. Department
of Education.

Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE: BEL) is at the forefront of the new
communications, entertainment and information industry. In the
mid-Atlantic region, the company is the premier provider of local
telecommunications and advanced services. Globally, it is one of the
largest investors in the high-growth wireless communication
marketplace. Bell Atlantic also owns a substantial interest in
Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and is actively developing
high-growth national and international business opportunities in all
phases of the industry.

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for more information, contact:

Michel L. Daley, 202-392-1021
michel.l.daley@bell-atl.com