Helios Education Foundation to Be Lead Sponsor of NBC News' Education Nation in Phoenix May 2-10

PHOENIX, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Helios Education Foundation is the lead sponsor of NBC News' Education Nation "On-the-Road" Tour scheduled for Phoenix, Arizona, May 2-10. The Phoenix tour includes a series of panels and events hosted by NBC News correspondents, local Arizona leaders, educators, parents and students on Arizona's most pressing education issues. In addition to education-focused events, programming will highlight the challenges and opportunities in Arizona education today.

NBC News is partnering with NBC's affiliate station KPNX in Phoenix to create a local forum for sharing information, exchanging ideas and inspiring change.

"Education has the power to transform lives and strengthen communities," said Helios Education Foundation's Founding Chairman Vince Roig. "Helios' interest in bringing Education Nation to Arizona is really to focus the conversation on education and engage more Arizonans in a forum that celebrates excellence and encourages collaboration around solutions." 

Education Nation Phoenix will begin Thursday, May 2 with an Opening Ceremony at the Arizona Science Center at 12 p.m. On May 3 and 4, Education Nation will host three locally-televised events at the Herberger Theater Center:

• Friday, May 3 will consist of a Phoenix Summit that will cover topics including early childhood education and other K-12 issues. A special panel discussion on College and Career Readiness will also be featured.
• Saturday, May 4 will include NBC News' Teacher Town Hall that brings local teachers together in a unique educator-only forum to discuss what works in the classroom and highlight the challenges of today's education system. A Student Town Hall that same day will create a space for students to convene and share their experiences, ideas and concerns about Arizona's schools.

A live stream of the Phoenix events will be available online at www.helios.org and www.educationnation.com.

"In order for Arizona to develop a globally competitive workforce and a viable economy, we must work collaboratively to improve our education system and create a college-going culture where every student is academically prepared to succeed in college and career," said Helios Education Foundation's President and CEO Paul Luna.

Since launching Education Nation in September 2010, NBC has hosted the "On-The-Road" tour in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Denver, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit and New Orleans.

"The 'Education Nation On-The-Road' tour has engaged communities across the country to come together and try to find solutions to both local and national education issues. We are excited to work with Helios Education Foundation and others to expand the dialogue about how we can improve education in Phoenix and the state of Arizona," said Soraya Gage, General Manager of Education Nation.

About Education Nation

Education Nation seeks to create a thoughtful, well-informed dialogue with policymakers, thought-leaders, educators, parents and the public, in pursuit of the shared goal of providing every American with an opportunity to achieve the best education in the world. These discussions cover the challenges, potential solutions and innovations spanning the education landscape. By providing quality information to the public, NBC News hopes to educate Americans so they can make decisions about how best to improve our education system both in the near and long terms, and to shine a spotlight on one of the most urgent national issues of our time.

About Helios Education Foundation

Helios Education Foundation is focused on creating opportunities for individuals to succeed in postsecondary education by advancing the academic preparedness of all students and fostering a high expectations, college-going culture in Arizona and Florida. The Foundation focuses its investments across the education continuum in three key impact areas: Early Childhood Education, the Transition Years and Postsecondary Success.

As an engaged foundation, embedded in communities across both states, the Foundation is contributing its leadership, expertise and financial resources to better prepare students for college and career and, ultimately, to compete in a globally-competitive economy. Since 2006, Helios has invested over $125 million in education-related programs and initiatives in Arizona and Florida. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.helios.org.

SOURCE Helios Education Foundation