FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2001

NetDay and PowerUP Join Forces to Support Schools in Empowerment Zone Communities

"The children in these seven communities will benefit from our partnership with PowerUP through improved access to technology, integrated educational programs and enhanced learning activities to support individual ambitions and career goals," stated Julie Evans, CEO for NetDay, a national education technology nonprofit organization. "By focusing on educational outcomes and building sustainability, we are empowering students and giving them new opportunities for success."

"PowerUP has installed youth-focused computer labs in over 300 locations around the country in just over a year. That was achieved in large part because our great partnerships with organizations like NetDay. They have stepped up to the plate by understanding and reaching out to America's youth during the critical after school hours. We know from research that children need a safe place that is both interesting and enjoyable during the hours of 3 p.m. to dinner time," noted Rae Grad, the CEO of PowerUP. "Our strength is in our partnerships and we were able to accomplish our goals quickly through our nationwide network of corporate and non-profit partners. We welcome and thank NetDay for its support."

A PowerUP PowerPACK of resources will be given to each of these centers. Each PowerPACK includes at least 10 computers per site, access to the Internet via AOL, staff training, and innovative life-enriching programs via PowerUP Online. Each NetDay PowerUP site will receive a copy of the PowerUP Online guide that aggregates information and organizes activities and resources. Valuable tools are provided which contain information about how to find a mentor; fun and productive activities during after-school hours; healthy lifestyle information; exploration of career opportunities and guidance about acquiring the necessary skills to take advantage of them. Additional information includes details of community service opportunities, and links with real-time community youth programs currently being provided by participating local youth serving organizations.

Using these tools and building upon experience, NetDay staff will provide ongoing professional support to the centers and extend learning activities from the NetDay Community Initiative programs to communities and after-school activities. Together, PowerUP and NetDay will bring much needed resources to thousands of children who otherwise would be left behind and support to educators seeking to integrate technology into the learning environment.

NetDay/PowerUP Centers will be located in the following schools:

• Mercedes Early Childhood Center *, Mercedes, Texas
• Ruben Hinojosa Elementary School, Mercedes, Texas
• Mercedes Junior High School, Mercedes, Texas
• Castlemont High School, Oakland, California
• Murray-Wright High School, Detroit, Michigan
• West Bolivar Middle School, Rosedale, Mississippi
• West Bolivar High School, Rosedale, Mississippi

About NetDay

NetDay's mission is to connect every child to a brighter future by helping educators meet educational goals through the effective use of technology. Founded five years ago, NetDay connects people by creating environments where the magic of learning for all participants - students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members - is enhanced with appropriate technology resources. Programs include: the NetDay's Community Initiatives a collection of community driven projects connecting students and their teachers in under-served communities with the necessary resources to facilitate learning through education technology; NetDayCompass.org a free, comprehensive, online directory providing K-12 school leaders worldwide with an organized library of quality resources to guide effective decision-making for education technology and to develop leadership capacity; and, NetDay Leadership Campaign for Education Technology a national and state-level program focusing on how to develop and nurture education technology leadership within our K-12 schools so that schools can best leverage their technology assets to impact educational results.

About PowerUP

PowerUP creates public and private partnerships to prepare underserved youth to succeed in the digital age. PowerUP partners provide technology, funding, trained personnel, innovative interactive programming, in-kind support and other resources to help close the divide between young people who have access to computer-based information and technology-related skills and those who do not. PowerUP's partners include: America's Promise; the Case Foundation; the Waitt Family Foundation; The AOL Time Warner Foundation; the Corporation for National Service/AmeriCorps*VISTA; Boys & Girls Clubs of America; YMCA of the USA; Communities in Schools; National Urban League; Save the Children. For more information on PowerUP, visit www.powerup.org or AOL Keyword: PowerUP.

* Pre-K/Kindergarten New Campus

NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
949.609.4660
info@netday.org