Durham Public Schools and 21 CD, Inc. Launch Multimedia Campaign to Recruit Teachers.

Business Editors/Education Writers/High-Tech Writers

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 2004

In response to a nation-wide teacher shortage and a competitive hiring environment, Durham Public Schools (DPS) recently turned to Durham-based 21 CD, Inc., an innovative marketing services company, to develop a dynamic multimedia marketing campaign to attract the best young teachers to the Durham school district. The centerpiece of the campaign is a mini CD-Rom designed to appeal to recent college graduates who are attracted to the convenience of digital interactivity. The compact discs (CD) also feature innovative tracking technology that enables school officials to analyze usage as well as to identify prospects' primary interests.

Fred Williams, who is Durham Public Schools' coordinator of teacher recruitment and retention, said his school system was looking for a means to stand apart from other districts and encourage teacher candidates to explore the benefits of working and living in Durham.

"We wanted a marketing tool that would highlight the many faces of Durham, from enjoying a Bulls baseball game to attending a theater performance at Duke University," Williams said. "The Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau (DCVB) provided video footage that shows the progressive nature of the city, while video clips feature our teachers and principals talking about all the resources that make this a great place to work. We believe this boosts our efforts to attract the best and the brightest to teach our students."

In addition to the video clips, the CD provides a comprehensive overview of the school system. A human resources section explains the district's current benefits and allows prospects to go directly to the Web site to apply for a position. It also links users to DPS partners, such as the DCVB, to learn more about the community.

"We gain a tremendous amount of satisfaction helping our local school system enhance its recruitment of the brightest teachers," said Peter Nyberg, president of 21 CD, Inc. "Our services advance the traditional way of marketing to enable Durham Public Schools to present a powerful message to prospects, while also more efficiently gathering prospect usage data."

The CDs are distributed through job fairs and direct mail, which enables the district to use its recruiting resources in a targeted manner. For example, research indicates that the majority of new teachers come from within North Carolina. As a result, DPS plans to mail CDs to out-of-state prospects, and maintain a focused in-person recruitment effort within the state.

According to Williams, DPS currently tracks and analyzes data from CDs that already have been distributed, and will use the information gathered to update the CD in the future.

21 CD, Inc. is an innovative marketing services company and creator of digital multimedia that enable companies to gather knowledge-based data. An industry leader of digital technology, 21 CD seeks to advance traditional marketing methods - from static one-dimensional printed material to dynamic, interactive multimedia. With headquarters in Durham, N.C., the company works with Duke University, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., MeadWestvaco Corporation, Professional Golf Association of America, among others. Please visit www.21CD.com.

Durham Public Schools is the seventh largest school district in North Carolina. It serves nearly 31,000 students from Pre-Kindergarten through high school. More than 125 nationally Board Certified Teachers are among the DPS team of dedicated teaching processionals committed to excellence in education. The district has received several recent state and national recognitions, including N.C. Superintendent of the Year, Regional Teacher and Principal of the Year, National Magnet School of Excellence, and the Governor's Award for Excellence for the district's K-3 Initiative. In addition, two high schools were ranked by Newsweek Magazine among the top five percent in the nation for academic rigor. For more information, please visit www.dpsnc.net.