Computer Learning Foundation
1066 West Evelyn Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(408)720-8898
FAX (408)720-8777
http://www.computerlearning.org

Contact: Sally Bowman Alden, Executive Director (408) 720-8838

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMPUTER LEARNING FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES
13TH ANNUAL COMPUTER LEARNING MONTH(R)

Competitions Emphasize Community and Responsibility

SUNNYVALE, Calif., (August 23, 1999)--The Computer Learning Foundation announced today its 13th annual Computer Learning Month in October and annual competitions, open to students, educators, community groups and schools in the United States and Canada. This year's emphasis is Community and Responsibility, the Foundation's theme for the year. Complete details are included at the Foundation's Web site <http://www.computerlearning.org> and in Computer Learning 2000, the Foundation's free annual publication. During Computer Learning Month each year, thousands of educators, children and community members are involved in learning more about computers and other technologies in Computer Learning Month activities and events.

Although technology is radically changing the workplace and can dramatically improve the quality of education children receive, millions of children are not yet receiving the full benefits to their learning at school. To further educators' ability to use technology in their classrooms, the Foundation is encouraging schools and educators to take responsiblity for their own learning this year in contests emphasizing professional development and development of new teaching methods that use technology effectively in the classroom. The Foundation is also encouraging educators and students to reach out to their community to help them learn more about technology. In addition, the Foundation is encouraging students to help make their community the type of community they want it to be and help develop a presence for their town on the Internet.

"The goal of Computer Learning Month each October is to focus the public's attention on the important role technology plays in our lives, particularly as a tool to improve our children's learning," says Sally Bowman Alden, Executive Director of the Computer Learning Foundation. "This year we're emphasizing everyone taking responsibility for their learning, for our children and for our communities in an effort to start the new millennium right with a positive 'can do' attitude."

During Computer Learning Month, the Foundation is hosting three sweepstakes and five merit competitions to provide activities for Computer Learning Month, to encourage students to get involved in developing Web sites for their towns, and to recognize educators and schools for their professional development activities and teaching strategies. Contest entry deadlines are November 30, 1999 and April 1, 2000.

The first sweepstakes, the Computer Learning Month Celebration Sweepstakes, is designed to encourage and recognize people who reach out to their community during Computer Learning Month to help others learn more about technology and to address important issues surrounding its use. To qualify for the Sweepstakes, the event or activity must be held in honor of Computer Learning Month. One grand prize winner and six second prize winners will be drawn at random from qualifying entries to receive prizes. Each grand prize winner and his/her school will receive an Apple iBook Computer, and six second prize winners and their schools will receive software prizes. The entry deadline is November 30, 1999.

The second sweepstakes is the 12th Annual Computer Learning Foundation Certified School Program and Sweepstakes, designed to encourage and recognize schools and educators for learning new ways of using technology with children. To enter this sweepstakes, a school must qualify for Level I and/or Level II between August 15 and November 15, 1999. To earn Level I certification, every teacher in the school must develop at least two new lesson plans for the classroom that integrate the use of technology. To earn Level II certification, every teacher and principal in the school must participate in at least one professional development workshop during Computer Learning Month that focuses on the use of technology. All Certified Schools will be sent certificate(s) recognizing their achievement and a press release to send to local newspapers to inform others of their accomplishment. In addition, each Certified School will automatically be entered in the Certified School Sweepstakes, in which two grand prize winning schools will be drawn at random&emdash; one school in each level&emdash;to receive an iBook computer. In addition, 10 second prize winning schools will be drawn at random&emdash;five schools in each level&emdash;to receive software prizes.

The first merit competition is for students: Using Technology to Promote Positive Community Values. In this competition, students may use any type of technology (computers, video, etc.) to create and present a project that promotes positive values to their community, for example a video production on respecting others, a computer-created poster campaign on values, a computer-created newsletter on ethical issues in their community, etc. The contest entry deadline is November 30, 1999. One grand prize winner and his/her school will receive an Apple iBook computer, and five second prize winners and their schools will receive software prizes.

The second contest for students is Our Town. In Our Town, students work with others in their community on the development of a Web site for their town. There is a home page sweepstakes for the fall (entry deadline of November 30, 1999) and a merit competition for the spring (entry deadline of April 1, 2000). To enter the sweepstakes, the town site must have at least a home page online by the entry deadline. Registration for both contests is online at the Foundation's Web site. In the sweepstakes, one grand prize winning site will be drawn at random, and their school will receive an iBook computer. In addition, four second prize winning sites will provide their schools with software prizes. In the merit competition, one grand prize winning site will be selected to win an iBook computer for their school, and ten second prize winning sites will be selected to win software prizes for their schools.

There are two contest for educators. In the first contest, Winning Workshops and Programs for Professional Development , educators and teacher trainers submit their original professional development program or materials. One grand prize winner and the school of their choice will win an iBook computer, and six winners and their schools will win software prizes. The entry deadline is November 30, 1999.

The second contest for educators, Building Effective Roadmaps for the Information Superhighway, is sponsored by N2H2 (see separate release) and asks educators to develop lesson plans and curricula for teaching students to do research on the Internet effectively and responsibly. The fall competition is for the best lesson plan (entry deadline of November 30, 1999), and the spring competiton is for the best total curriculum (entry deadline of April 1, 2000). Three grand prize winners and their schools in both the fall and spring competitions will receive Windows-compatible computers. Three second prize winners and their schools in both the fall and spring competitions will receive CD-ROM recorders. Three third prize winners and their schools in both the fall and spring competitions will receive $100 gift certificates for software.

For more information on Computer Learning Month contests, contest entry forms and information on other Foundation projects and materials, visit the Foundation's Web site <http://www.computerlearning.org> or write for a free copy of Computer Learning 2000, the Foundation's annual publication, to: Computer Learning Foundation, Dept. ED99, P.O. Box 60007, Palo Alto, CA 94306-0007. (Computer Learning 2000 is mailed by bulk mail. To receive a copy by first class mail, submit a self-addressed envelope with 77¢ postage.)

The Computer Learning Foundation, based in Sunnyvale, California, is an international nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to bringing businesses, schools and communities together to improve the quality of education and preparation of youth for the workplace through the use of technology. Founded in 1987, the Foundation serves as a clearinghouse of information for parents and educators on using technology effectively with children. In addition, the Computer Learning Foundation hosts Computer Learning Month each October, a major national grass roots educational effort, and motivates and recognizes innovative uses of technology through annual competitions for children, educators, community groups and schools. The Foundation's newest initiative, Our Town, provides schools with an innovative way to involve students in learning about the Internet, their community and other academic studies by working with others in their community on the development of a Web site for their town. The Computer Learning Foundation is funded by corporate and individual donations and is endorsed by and collaborates with 56 U.S. State Departments of Education and Canadian Ministries of Education and 26 national nonprofit organizations.

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