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Washington,
DC—The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
announced today that it has received a $1.5 million grant from the Verizon
Foundation to develop educational and interactive technology programs at the
planned National Law Enforcement Museum.
The facility, to be
located in Judiciary Square, will be the world's most comprehensive museum
focusing on law enforcement. Groundbreaking is scheduled for the fall of
2010.
"This grant will
fund the development of interactive learning tools and educational programs
that will enhance the museum experience and meet national standards of
learning in history, civics, science and math," said Craig W. Floyd,
chairman of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which is
leading the museum effort.
The grant, announced
at a program with 8th grade students at Lincoln Multicultural Middle School
in Northwest Washington, funds programs such as:
- What's in the Evidence, a standards-based school age
educational program, which will help students learn how to use clues and
solve cases presented by National Law Enforcement Museum exhibits. This
program will be enhanced by a host of online materials that can be used
by teachers and students. Those materials will be supported by the
American Association for the Advancement of Science, a content partner
of the Verizon Foundation's Thinkfinity.org, a free comprehensive educational
Web site that contains thousands of K-12 lesson plans, student
activities and other resources created or approved by 11 of the nation's
leading educational organizations.
- Additional educational programs at the Museum and
online through the National Law Enforcement Museum website, which are
applicable to students in grades K-12 and focused in the areas of
civics, history, math and science.
- A Socially Responsible Educational Program designed
to increase respect, trust and confidence between law enforcement,
domestic violence survivors, their families and the general public,
including a monthly event designed to teach K-12 students the basics of
playing safely in a community, decision-making and options to escape
violence and bullying.
- A domestic violence awareness and prevention
certification program for professionals who assist domestic violence
survivors.
"Education and
domestic violence prevention are two key social issues for the Verizon
Foundation," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston.
"Through Verizon's partnership with the National Law Enforcement Museum,
students, parents and teachers will have access to valuable resources to
improve their educational experience and find tools to help them identify and
prevent domestic violence."
Students at today's
event took part in a question-and-answer session with actor and director Eric
Close, of the CBS TV show "Without a Trace." Close, who plays
detective Martin Fitzgerald on the show, talked with students about civic
engagement, peer pressure and how decisions made as a teen can lead to
success or failure later in life. In addition, students and their families
took part in a Verizon Wireless HopeLine drive to collect no-longer-used
cell phones, batteries and accessories that will be recycled or refurbished
and sold for re-use to support domestic violence survivors and nonprofit
organizations focused on domestic violence awareness and prevention.
The Verizon
Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the
advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web
site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic
violence. In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68 million in
grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the
charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an
additional $26 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through
Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs,
Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 3 million hours of
community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit http://www.verizonfoundation.org/.
Verizon Communications
Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering
broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass
market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless
operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 86
million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations provide converged
communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most
advanced fiber-optic network. Wireline also includes Verizon Business, which
delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the
world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than
237,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than
$97 billion. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/.
The National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization
dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement
officers. The NLEOMF maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 18,661 officers who have died
in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now leading
the effort to build the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum, which
will tell the story of law enforcement through high-tech, interactive
exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive educational programming. For
more information, visit http://www.lawmemorial.org/.
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