Connections Academy, a leading provider of online K-12 schools, released results today from its annual parent satisfaction survey measuring families’ satisfaction with their Connections Academy virtual school experience. The survey also reveals reasons why families are choosing Connections Academy for their children. In the 2015-16 school year, 30 Connections Academy-supported schools in 26 states served students with a top-tier, personalized education.
Now in its 14th year, the third-party Connections Academy Parent Satisfaction Survey provides valuable feedback to help tailor and improve the online school program. Thirty-six percent of enrolled families participated in the survey.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7654352-connections-academy-online-school/
The Ad Council today launched a groundbreaking public service campaign designed to encourage audiences to welcome and support refugees who have recently resettled in the U.S. The campaign aims to raise awareness, dispel misconceptions and connect audiences to EmbraceRefugees.org where they can learn more about the issue and find local resources to assist refugees in their communities. Launching to coincide with World Refugee Day, the integrated effort was developed with creative firm Tongal and its global network of filmmakers, marking the first time in the Ad Council’s 75-year history the organization has created a new campaign through crowdsourcing. The public service ads (PSAs) debuted this morning and will be distributed to media outlets nationwide this week.
“America has a proud legacy of welcoming refugees. In return, they serve their communities and our country -- as teachers and soccer coaches, as nurses and engineers, and as members of our armed forces,” said Heather Higginbottom, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. “Refugees are thoroughly checked and we apply the highest security standards, so every community can welcome those who are resettling with open arms, as we would with any new neighbors.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7856251-ad-council-embrace-refugees/
Educators engage with the most vulnerable populations and good intentions aren’t enough to drive decisions. Ethics goes beyond a simple right vs. wrong and there is a clear and compelling gap in educators’ professional continuum. Now, the research-based ProEthica™ program offers educators techniques and strategies for improving awareness of professional risks and vulnerabilities, and for the application of professional ethics in daily decision making.
Developed by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the ProEthica online educator ethics training program is research-based and designed for teachers and educational leaders. Through a series of interactive modules that combine instruction and checks for understanding, the ProEthica program uses real-life scenario-based simulations and activities to help educators establish an understanding of ethical principles and decision making, and learn how to apply them in their daily practice.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7798251-ets-proethica-teacher-training/
Pairing the endless possibilities of space exploration with the limitless opportunities of education, Texas Instruments (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) and NASA are partnering to show students how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) make feats like space exploration possible with mISSion imaginaTIon. The partnership and its programs aim to spur the imaginations of the next generation of scientists, engineers, explorers and innovators who are in today’s math and science classrooms.
Combining expertise, TI Education Technology and NASA have developed programs that promote STEM-focused lessons for students and teachers in middle and high school. Launching today, the mISSion imaginaTIon online quiz allows participants to see if they have what it takes for a year-long mission aboard the International Space Station. After discovering how ready they are to live in space, students can then put their STEM skills to the test with the mISSion imaginaTIon design challenge, which asks students to devise solutions to four space-related challenges.
“Imagination is the fuel that feeds progress and innovation,” said Peter Balyta, Ph.D., (@pbalyta), president of TI Education Technology. “Alongside NASA, we are excited to unleash student creativity as students explore how science, technology, engineering and math can solve future problems on earth, in space and beyond.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7418651-ti-nasa-mission-imagination/
The Amgen Foundation announced today that it will invest more than $4 million to support and strengthen the Amgen Biotech Experience program across the United States, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom and Ireland. The Amgen Biotech Experience includes an engaging series of labs that effectively bring biotechnology into classrooms. This new commitment will also strengthen the program’s alignment with the United States’ Next Generation Science Standards, which are focused on engaging students in more authentic science learning experiences. With the support of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), the global nonprofit leading the Amgen Biotech Experience Program Office, the investment is expected to empower 1,000 teachers who will reach more than 150,000 new students with the labs over the next two years.
“We are very excited to extend our commitment to the Amgen Biotech Experience, a program that began 25 years ago, with the intent to ignite a deep passion for innovation and scientific discovery in students,” said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer of Amgen. “This program, which provides advanced biotech curriculum and professional-grade lab equipment at no cost to schools, has opened countless students’ eyes to the world of biotechnology, fueling potential long term advancements to both medicine and society.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7414055-amgen-biotech-experience-grant/
Today, GENYOUth announced the launch of Fuel Up to Play 60 en español, an evolution of its national flagship program. The program encourages Spanish-speaking communities nationwide to live healthier lifestyles through good nutrition and physical activity. Fuel Up to Play 60 launched a redesigned website (FuelUpToPlay60.com) that provides Spanish-language content and materials, extending the reach and access of the program to students, teachers and families across the country. Several organizations have supported the effort, including the PepsiCo Foundation, which has provided a previously announced grant of $550,000 to develop Spanish-language materials and resources. In addition the PepsiCo Foundation will provide another $100,000 for mini-grants for health and wellness activities and programming within Los Angeles Unified School District and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Fuel Up to Play 60, a program founded by the National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive nutrition and physical activity changes for themselves, their schools and their communities. Studies show that physical fitness may benefit brain health and academic performance, suggesting active kids may do better. However, only 1 in 3 kids are active every day, potentially leaving many at a disadvantage inside and outside of the classroom.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7646551-fuel-up-to-play-60/
Beauty anxiety is felt by girls as young as ten years old. In fact, 9 out of 10 girls want to change at least one thing about their physical appearance.1 Dove believes everyone has the opportunity to help a girl navigate those feelings. The Dove Self-Esteem Project launches a new Self-Esteem Pinterest page to provide free self-esteem exercises, activities, and workshop guides to inspire women to embrace the opportunity to help the girls in their lives reach their full potential.
“The Dove Self-Esteem Project has long been delivering self-esteem education to young people to help them build positive self-esteem and reach their full potential,” said Jennifer Bremner, Director of Marketing, Dove. “Dove recognizes that women and girls spend a great deal of time on social media. Now when girls need a self-esteem boost, the mothers or role models in their lives can rely upon practical and easy-to-use self-esteem inspiration right on their phones. Our new Dove Self-Esteem Pinterest page demonstrates the power and ease of mentorship, and we invite parents, teachers and any person with a girl in their life to join us in helping the next generation develop a positive relationship with beauty.”
The Dove Self-Esteem Pinterest Page (Pinterest.com/SelfEsteem) offers every woman and girl a personal confidence-boosting board they can turn to when they need it most.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7635651-dove-self-esteem-project-on-pinterest/
With more than 50 million kids heading back to school this fall, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) are urging parents, guardians and educators to start conversations about safety now. The KidSmartz™ program, a joint effort between NCMEC and Honeywell, is making those conversations easier with new animated videos to help elementary school students understand and remember the “Four Rules of Safety”
“A nine-year analysis by NCMEC of more than 9,000 attempted abductions revealed important patterns, including the fact that many attempts happen on the way to and from school,” said Linda Krieg, NCMEC acting CEO. “Safety is a year-round concern, but the analysis tells us that this time of year is a critical time to prepare our kids for potential dangers. KidSmartz equips teachers and parents with tools they need to help kids make smarter and safer decisions.”
NCMEC’s attempted abduction analysis revealed not only the tricks used by people trying to abduct kids but also the ways kids can get away. KidSmartz, which launched last year as part of more than ten years of partnership between NCMEC and Honeywell, uses classroom activities, role-playing, animated videos and a “Safety Dance” song and dance to teach children in grades K-5 the “Four Rules of Safety.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7616251-ncmec-honeywell-kidsmartz-back-to-school/
Positive strides have been made since 1995 to advance science literacy in the United States, but teachers and parents agree that more hands-on, experiential learning must be adopted in order to improve science education for future generations, according to the results of the 2015 Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey released today.
For 20 years, Bayer has issued the survey, which assesses science education in the United States and evaluates its development. Although positive strides have been made, survey results emphasize the critical need to improve science education and literacy for future generations. Teachers, for example, universally agree (99 percent) that more hands-on experiential learning in general would benefit student learning.
In response, Bayer is announcing a five-year commitment to provide 1 million hands-on science learning experiences for children by 2020, timed to the 20th anniversary of the Making Science Make Sense® program, Bayer’s company-wide initiative that advances science literacy across the United States.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7452954-bayer-children-science-education/
Corporates today are on the lookout of new and novel ways to use their CSR funds effectively. A genuine step towards improving the quality of education in urban and especially rural areas would definitely interest them. And to make this possible, STEM Learning Pvt Ltd has launched Mini Science Centres (MSC) to promote experiential learning. STEM Learning is a pioneer in installing Mini Science Centres at schools in India. So far, they have installed over 40 Mega Science Centres and 250+ Mini Science Centres in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Karnataka and Rajasthan. Their aim is to reach one million students from rural as well as urban areas of the country.
The Mini Science Project is an innovative concept developed by STEM Learning and consists of 60+ table-top models that are designed as per the syllabus of SSC, CBSC and ICSE Boards. These models come with a two-year warranty and maintenance. STEM learning also provides training to teachers to improve the effectiveness of these models in English and other vernacular languages.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7561751-stem-learning-mini-science-centre/
After years of analyzing attempted abductions, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® has identified the tricks used by abductors, and the most successful escape strategies for children. NCMEC and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) are working together to deliver this insight nationwide through KidSmartz™, the premier abduction prevention program that equips teachers and parents with tools to help protect children.
A key component of the program is the KidSmartz “Safety Dance” Video Contest. From January through March, elementary schools were asked to submit videos of their students dancing to the new KidSmartz “Safety Dance,” a reimagining of a popular 1980’s song with new lyrics designed to give kids the knowledge and confidence to avoid abduction.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7521451-ncmec-honeywell-safety-dance/
At a time when educators and policymakers are placing a high priority on quality early childhood education, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts today announced results of a four-year study showing that its arts integration teaching model bolsters young children’s math achievement. Additional resources, including a summary video with classroom demonstrations and the complete research report, may be accessed at http://www.wolftrap.org/stemartsstudy.
Conducted by independent evaluators at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), Findings from the Evaluation of the Wolf Trap Arts in Education Model (the Study) examined the effects of an arts-integrated teaching approach on teachers’ practice and students’ math knowledge.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7224251-wolf-trap-math-achievement/
