Kamaile Academy Awarded $20,000 STEM Grant from Verizon Foundation

HONOLULU, Jan. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Waianae's Kamaile Academy was yesterday awarded a $20,000 Verizon Innovate Learning Grant at a gathering at the school with community leaders and families in attendance. The funds will help launch a new classroom technologies program focusing on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Kamaile Academy is one of 80 schools across the country to receive a grant this year as part of Verizon's investment to help provide teachers with the resources they need to use technology more innovatively and effectively to engage students in science, technology, engineering and math.

Anna Winslow, principal at Kamaile Academy said: "Many of our students at Kamaile have no computer access or other technologies in their homes, making access to technology at school critical to their educational success. We are tremendously grateful for this grant as it allows us to expose more students to science, technology, engineering and math from an early age and encourage successful careers in STEM."

The grant will help Kamaile Academy to launch a new school-wide initiative focusing on engaging students in STEM areas in new and innovative ways. Two Kamaile teachers will be trained as 'Technology Coaches' to help integrate technology into school curriculum, and five students will become 'Peer Technology Coaches' to offer support to fellow students. All of the school's 966 students will benefit from the new program, which also includes expansion of the school's popular robotics program.

"We are so proud to support the outstanding educators and students at Kamaile Academy here in Waianae," said Edward Wright, solution engineer for Verizon Wireless in Hawaii. "The proposal submitted by Kamaile Academy exemplifies the type of initiatives that will provide exposure to students around STEM fields, and also offer students hands-on project-based learning opportunities that will help increase their interest and achievement in STEM."

The significant demand for STEM-educated workers has been well documented in recent years, and a 2014 report found that the STEM job market is even larger than had been reported previously.  

The Verizon Innovate Learning Grants program is part of Verizon's commitment to the Obama administration's ConnectED initiative, under which Verizon is providing up to $100 million in cash and in-kind contributions to drive student achievement, especially in STEM subjects.

About Kamaile Academy
Kamaile Academy is a P20 "village concept" community-school located in Waianae, Oahu and the largest charter school in Hawaii. Kamaile serves approximately 970 students in grades K-12 with 88% of students coming from low-income households of which 7% are known to be homeless. Kamaile's nationally recognized Navigators' Center provides comprehensive health and wellness and community support to strengthen student academic achievement and success. http://www.kamaile-academy.org/

About the Verizon Foundation
The Verizon Foundation is focused on accelerating social change by using the company's innovative technology to help solve pressing problems in education, healthcare and energy management.  Since 2000, the Verizon Foundation has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live. Verizon's employees are generous with their donations and their time, having logged more than 6.8 million hours of service to make a positive difference in their communities.  For more information about Verizon's philanthropic work, visit www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/; or for regular updates, visit the Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/verizongiving).

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150129/172418

SOURCE Verizon Wireless

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