Tech-Savvy Student Projects Now Being Accepted for the 2007 JPMorgan Chase "Multimedia in the Classroom" Awards Competition.

Ten Area Schools Can Win $1,000 In Cash Prizes For Excellence In Media And Technology

NEW YORK -- Tri-state K-12 teachers and students who enhance learning in science or global awareness though innovative use of video, the Web or multimedia have until Friday, February 2 to submit their projects for the JPMorgan Chase "Multimedia in the Classroom" Awards Competition, a highlight of the second annual Celebration of Teaching and Learning.

Each of the 10 best project teams will receive a $1,000 cash award for their schools from JPMorgan Chase at a recognition ceremony on Friday, March 23. Winners will also gain full access to the Celebration of Teaching and Learning, the tri-state area's largest educational conference.

Teachers and students in public and non-public schools in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are eligible to enter. Projects must be teacher-mentored and student-executed, and must exemplify skillful use of media and technology to improve learning in a curriculum area. For guidelines and an application form, visit www.thirteencelebration.org/awards.

"Teachers and policy-makers agree: in today's increasingly globalized market, science and social studies skills are absolutely critical," said Ronald Thorpe, vice president and director of education at Thirteen/WNET New York. "With the JPMorgan Chase Awards program, we want to foster and recognize creative, effective applications of technology that augment learning in these crucial areas."

Described as a "World's Fair of Education," the Celebration is a two-day professional development conference hosted by Thirteen/WNET New York and WLIW21 for teachers, administrators, school board members, and policy-makers. At the event, thousands will participate in seminars and hands-on workshops; hear nationally recognized speakers, including former Vice President Al Gore; attend a Town Hall meeting moderated by Tim Russert of NBC News; browse hundreds of exhibitor booths at a trade show; and much more. The Celebration will take place on March 23-24, 2007 in New York City.

JPMorgan Chase served as Founding Sponsor for the Celebration's launch last year and is returning as the key supporter of this year's event.

"Last year's launch event was such a great success and we are proud to support Thirteen/WNET and WLIW again this year," said Kimberly Davis, president of JPMorgan Chase Foundation. "This conference serves as a great way for educators and policy-makers from across the tri-state area to get together and share their ideas and learn new ways to inspire young minds through the innovative use of technology and the media."

William F. Baker, president and chief executive officer of Educational Broadcasting Corporation, said, "Public broadcasting's mission has always been to serve as an educational resource for the community. But public television's founders could not have dreamed of all the emerging new media forms that would someday change the educational landscape at break-neck pace. We're at an exciting new frontier where opportunities for teaching and learning are virtually unlimited, and we're grateful for JPMorgan Chase's support."

JPMorgan Chase Award entries must be postmarked by February 2, 2007. Winners will be announced on March 6 and the prizes will be presented on March 24. For information on the Celebration of Teaching and Learning, go to www.thirteencelebration.org.

In addition to Founding Sponsorship from JPMorgan Chase, funding for the Celebration has been provided at the Premier Sponsor level from Educational Testing Service (ETS) and United Federation of Teachers (UFT). Further major sponsor support was provided by Adobe, Council of Supervisors and Administrators (CSA), Fordham University Graduate School of Education, Friends of Thirteen, Kumon, The Louis Calder Foundation, National Education Association (NEA), New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), New York State Union of Teachers (NYSUT), and Smart Technologies. Borders is Presenting Sponsor and Edutopia is Media Sponsor.

Educational Broadcasting Corporation, headquartered in New York City, is the parent company of public broadcasters Thirteen/WNET and WLIW21 New York. Thirteen is America's most-watched public television station and WLIW21 has the fourth-largest public television audience in the nation. Both stations are major producers of programming for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) seen on public television stations across the country. In addition to its well-known analog channels, EBC is the provider of a number of digital public television services, including Thirteen HD, Thirteen World, Kids Thirteen, WLIW Create, Thirteen On Demand, and Thirteen/PBS Kids On Demand. EBC also creates, manages and distributes a wide range of educational outreach and online programs, projects and services that extend the power and relevance of public television programming at the local, national and international levels.