Verizon Foundation Awards $121,000 to Delaware Literacy and Technology Projects

WILMINGTON, Del. - Building on Verizon's mission as America's literacy and technology leader, the Verizon Foundation has awarded more than $121,000 in grants to 10 Delaware schools and organizations.

"Verizon is committed to supporting literacy and technology initiatives that help young people and organizations improve their capabilities in the classroom and, ultimately, in the workplace and society," said William R. Allan, president of Verizon Delaware. "These grants provide excellent opportunities to build skills and expand outreach to those in need.

"We are pleased that the foundation was able to increase its grant total for Delaware technology projects in 2005 by 60 percent based on the increase in the number of excellent, innovative proposals we received," Allan said.

The grant recipients are:

• John S. Charlton Program, $9,000 to support the Today's Enhanced Communication Program, which will fund software upgrades to expand and improve the quality of augmentative communication for nonverbal students or those with limited verbal abilities.

• Concord High School, $9,694 to help support the Student Centered Technology Classroom Program, which is designed to enhance the school's science curriculum through the use of Quizdom technology.

• John R. Downs Elementary School, $19,500 for the MPR News Project, which will utilize laptop computers to develop and implement a print and broadcast news writing curriculum for students in kindergarten through the fifth grade.

• East Side Charter School, $13,900 for the Learning to Read the Alternative Way Project, which will use Fast Forword Language technology to provide alternative Internet-based materials for students who require additional reading and comprehension study.

• Milford High School, $9,975 for the Innovation in the Palm of Your Hand Project, which will use the Renaissance Classroom Response System to improve classroom assessments.

• Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center, $6,000 to support the SMART Boards for SMARTer Kids Program, which will utilize technology and interactive learning for young children.

• George Read Middle School, $14,014 to help fund the SMART Board Project for Science, which will use SMART Board technology to develop an improved science curriculum for 1150 students.

• Seaford School District, $19,500 to support the Getting Our Hands Dirty Using Handhelds Project, which will expand the use of handheld computers beyond the middle and high school level to students in the fifth grade to help meet rigorous school and state standards.

• Booker T. Washington Elementary School, $10,000 to support the Climb to Success Project, which is aimed at increasing literacy, math and writing skills for K-4th grade students.

• Woodbridge School District, $10,000 for the Mobile Computer Labs Project, which uses SMART Board technology in a mobile computer laboratory to benefit more than 500 students.

The Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications. In 2004, the foundation awarded more than 26,000 grants totaling over $70 million to charitable and non-profit agencies that focus on improving literacy, computer and technology skills, and identifying domestic violence solutions. The foundation uses its resources in the United States and abroad to develop partnerships in technology and connect them with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, and the economically and socially disadvantaged.

The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that last year encouraged Verizon employees to volunteer 528,000 hours in their communities and provided $37.6 million in combined contributions to charitable and nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of more than 214,000 in four business units: Domestic Telecom provides customers based in 28 states with wireline and other telecommunications services, including broadband. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 47.4 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####