Greenville Middle School Gets $50k Grant From Verizon Foundation

GREENVILLE (WWJ) -- Greenville Middle School has been selected as a Verizon Innovative Learning School and has received a $50,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation to help ensure that more students learn the skills necessary for success in higher education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

As part of a two-year program with the Verizon Foundation, the International Society for Technology in Education provided a 3-day innovative professional-development program for teachers at Greenville Middle School July 30 through Aug. 1.

Through this kick-off on-site and ongoing virtual training, Greenville Middle School educators will be better prepared to incorporate existing mobile technology into classroom learning with strategies that support teaching STEM subjects and making these subjects more appealing to students.

"Greenville teachers understand the importance of integrating technology into teaching and learning in order to provide our students with the edge they need," said Diane Brissette, Assistant Superintendent of Greenville Public Schools. "Our partnership with Verizon ensures that educators can use technology to personalize learning, engage students and help them navigate the path to success in our digital world."

"This is the second consecutive year that a Michigan school has been selected as one of only 12 Verizon Innovative Learning Schools across the nation," said Michelle Gilbert, public relations manager, Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky Region, Verizon Wireless. "Preliminary results from the first set of 12 grant recipient schools show the program is making a difference in the classroom. Students' engagement has improved, and they're demonstrating higher proficiency with mobile technology. Most importantly, teachers are reporting an overall improvement in student achievement."

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.

For more information about Verizon's philanthropic work, visit www.verizonfoundation.org; or for regular updates, visit the Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/verizongiving).