Posted on March 29, 2007

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Verizon Foundation to Invest $31 Million in Interactive Education Program

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, has announced a three-year, $31 million commitment to its signature educational and literacy program, which provides free online educational resources to teachers, students, and community organizations.

Thinkfinity.org, which encompasses the programs formerly known as Verizon MarcoPolo and the Verizon Literacy Network, is an online portal to fifty thousand K-12 lesson plans and other educational resources. The portal also provides professional development resources for teachers as well as literacy materials for all ages. Verizon's financial commitment will enable leading educational organizations to continue to produce and expand the program's interactive features.

Content is provided through the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Reading Association, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Center for Family Literacy, the National Council on Economic Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Council of Teachers of English, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Geographic Society, ProLiteracy Worldwide, and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

According to Charmona Whitfield, a K-6 instructional technology teacher, the Thinkfinity program saves teachers time, is easy to navigate, and provides quick access to lesson plans. "Producing interactive, engaging lessons plans is a necessity to reach our children in the classroom today," she said. "Because our kids have iPods, cell phones, and X-boxes, they need to truly interact with what they are learning. To simply stand in front of them and talk is not enough."

“Verizon Foundation Announces $31 Million Investment in Thinkfinity.org.” Verizon Communications Press Release 3/27/07.

Primary Subject: Education
Location(s): Basking Ridge, New Jersey

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