AT&T Supports Arkansas Science and Technology Authority; Builds Stronger Communities Through $9 Million in National Grant Program
Friday, Nov 30, 2007
The AT&T Foundation — the corporate philanthropy organization of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) — has announced that it has awarded $15,000 to support the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority through the AT&T Excelerator competitive technology grant program. The grant funds will be used to support its Science and Mathematics Accessible Resource Tool (SMART) workshops. This value-added tool will be utilized by teachers around the state to share hands-on science lesson plans tied to the state’s curriculum frameworks. The workshops are a collaborative effort aimed at improving student performance in science and mathematics.
Since 2002, the AT&T Excelerator program has provided more than 2,500 technology grants — totaling more than $47.8 million — to organizations across the country. In 2007, 12 regional and local nonprofit organizations in Arkansas benefited from the competitive program, which granted nearly $9 million to non-profit organizations and communities nationwide. This year, the AT&T Foundation expanded the Excelerator grant program for the first time to include AT&T Southeast’s nine-state service area.
The Arkansas Science and Technology Authority is an instrumentality of the state with the mission of bringing the benefits of science and advanced technology to citizens of Arkansas. Among the Authority’s goals is supporting student achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education at all levels. According to Authority president John Ahlen, “Student achievement in math and science in middle and high school grades is as essential to economic competitiveness of states, regions, and communities statewide. The AT&T Excelerator award will support the broad, collaborative efforts of the STEM Coalition to use technology to enhance the ability of teachers to make science interesting, relevant, and more easily accessible in classrooms throughout the state.”
The AT&T Excelerator program provides technology access to organizations working to strengthen underserved communities. Helping nonprofits integrate technology into their operations and community outreach, AT&T Excelerator grants also place technology tools in the hands of the underserved populations that the nonprofits work with in order to provide resources such as education programs, Internet access, computer training and job-skills development.
“For the past six years, the AT&T Excelerator program has demonstrated the importance of how technology can benefit communities and organizations,” said Melinda Faubel, director External Affairs AT&T Arkansas. “This added technology for the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority will enable teachers throughout Arkansas to integrate technology skills into their curriculum, which in-turn will begin a long-range effect to impact the skill sets and improve achievement of Arkansas’ students.”
