Document b53ze6GQDZo25L21MmxXwZ24y

2101 Highland Avenue-Suite 120 Birmingham. Alabama 35205 (205) 933-6676- FAX (205) 933-5292 Bradley Townsend PUBLIC AFFAIRS Stephen E. Bradley President 770 Washington Avenue-Suite 330 .M.ontgomery. A.l.a.bama .'6104 (334) 834-9685 - FAX (334) 834-6307 TO: Kevin Cahill FROM: Steve Bradley DATE: May 4, 1999 SUBJECT: Solutia Education Connection Media Coverage Anniston (Have) Anniston Star - Article 4/27/99. (Have tape & transcript) Channel 13 (NBC) - Story 6:00 p.m. news (shown in both Anniston and Birmingham markets). (Tape & transcript to come) Channel 33/40 (ABC) - Covered Blake Hamilton's teacher luncheon 4/26/99. To include Education Connection story in luncheon coverage. (Have) St. Clair News Aegis (weekly) - Article 4/29/99. (Checking) Talladega Daily Home (daily) - Article to appear 4/28/99 or 5/1/99. (Checking) Cleburne News (weekly) - Article to appear week of 5/3/99. AM 1450 Radio (Anniston News Talk) - Interviewed Blake Hamilton 4/26/99. Several broadcasts 4/26/99. Decatur (Tape & transcript to come) Channel 43 WMJN - Interviewed Paul Meganck for "Valley Happenings" public affairs program to run four times on 4/27/99 (reaches 100,000 households in Morgan Co.). (Have) Athens News Courier (daily) - Story 4/28/99. (Article to come) Huntsville Times (daily) - Story/photo 4/27/99. DSW 13851? STLCOPCB4038472 (Have) (Checking) (Checking) Folev (Have) (Checking) (Checking) (Checking) 2 Decatur Daily - Brief story 4/27/99. Commitment to do more extensive follow-up later. Hartselle Enquirer - Article expected week of 5/3/99. Moulton Advertiser - Article expected week of 5/3/99. Foley Onlooker (weekly) - Story 4/28/99. The Independent (Robertsdale - weekly) - Story 5/1/99 - largest circulation of week. Baldwin Times (Bay Minette - weekly) - Story 4/28/99. (Usually stories running in Foley Onlooker run in The Independent and Baldwin Times since all three owned by same group.) Mobile Register - Baldwin Edition (daily) - Unsure when story ran. WHEP AM Radio - Interviewed Jim Green 4/27/99 for use on broadcast that day. NOTE: I believe these dates are correct in regard to when articles and broadcasts appeared or aired. However, in our final report on coverage, some articles may have appeared on different dates, etc. DSW 138518 STLCOPCB4038473 Grants for education Solutia program may improve technology at Anniston, Calhoun County schools U------------- By Jonathan Liflaiid abilities and flexibility lor the work force today's students, but they can help provide Star Staff Writer now and in the future -- whether it's for an individual learning experience to propel I can't May the host plan win. Solutia or for the business society," said them above expectations, said Matt Akin, Eleven school districts, including Blake Hamilton, plant manager for the technology coordinator for the Anniston think of Anniston and Calhoun County school Solutia Anniston plant. "We're trying to sellout system. boards, arc eligible lor $250,(JOU in technol provide a foundation for education." "Our greatest need is for greater instruc anything ogy grants announced Monday by Solutia. The "Education Connection" program is tion, and technology helps us lo get there," that's a Solulia's purpose is to create a partnership expected to provide between 75 and 100 he said. "This will hopefully allow us to among business, government and school computers for school districts eligible for expand our offerings. By teaching kids the higher systems. the program. skills to use a computer, we gel started; Educators in Decatur and Foley, plus St. Local school hoards hope to enhance we'd like to lake those a step further." priority for our students. It opens up a whole Clair, Talladega and Cleburne counties where some plant employees live, will also be given the chance to propose plans for upgrading technological programs in their school systems. The school systems that present the best plans will receive portions of the money. Repeated grant amounts will be distrib uted each of the next three years. Solutia existing plans to place one computer in each classroom. Since computers dominate colleges and the business world, adding technology to learning helps prcpaie kids lor the Inline, said Jacky Sparks, superintendent of the Calhoun County school system. "1 can't think of anything that's a higher priority for our students," he said. "It opens Calhoun County state legislators Sen. Del Marsh and Rep. Barbara Boyd welcomed business interests in student needs at the announcement at Cobb Elementary School in Anniston. The plan was called a model partnership to raise the level of local educa tion. The business community will continue to new world. plants, formerly known as Monsanto, are up a whole new world." support educational opportunity if it sees a located in the two towns. County schools hope to quintuple the one successful program, said Marsh, R- o c/> -- Jacky Sparks, superintendent of Calhoun County schools Requests for initial-year funding will be solicited by June 1 for use next fall, accord ing to Solutia. Review teams will analyze school board suggestions for the program, which is intended to install new computers computer per classroom goal, and this pro gram will contribute to . reaching that. Sparks said. Teachers, though, still need to be taught themselves the best way to use computers in the classroom and how to inte Annislon. Mrs. Boyd was unavailable for comment Monday. "I can see that anything that can help, from anywhere it comes from, wotdd be greally appreciated here," Marsh said. "It's -------- 993ET or educational programs. grate teaching with technology, he added. it great commitment and challenge lo those "This is to give our students educational Computers may not be the main need for in Calhoun County who support education." (JJ CD Ul sO STLCOPCB4038474 04/28/99 15:24 FAX NEWS COURIER @02 ,\ A The News-Courier Wednesday, April28,1999 Page ($A 'Jews-Courier/Kim Rynden h to bonofit Habitat for a! Coffman, Habitat for ivistar DECATUR - Science and technology education in public school districts in and nea^Dfccatur and two other Alabama ities will get a major boost with new computers and other technolpigy assistance to be funded under a j irogram launched by plants in each c immunity, The new progrkm will be made available to all pub liic city and coun ty school district;: in Athens and Limestone Couni y, Morgan and Lawrence Counties The company announced the Solution Educatlion Connection Program - a three-year commitment to help city and county public school districts in and near Decatur, Anniston and Fb ey acquire new computer equipmient to advance each districts tech! utology access for students, especiall) in science, Teams of educatlors from each district will woiilk with Solutia employees to idem fy computer and related needs for ach district that will best assist thr schools in providing more oppoiiftunities for their students. "Solutia has lorjjg been an active participant in the Dec;:atur community" said site manager Paul Meganck, "and we believe this is an excellent way to partner with the community to help meet crucial educational needs. Educators throughout the area have made us aware of the increasing needs in this arena and Urged us to help. We are pleased to be able to play a part in improving educational opportunity in the communities where our plant is located and where bur employees live." ; The company^ Decatur site has previously partnered with local schools on environmental steward ship and science education pro grams with schools in Decatur. The new program will broaden this focus and will work closely with the indi vidual school districts to recom mend equipment that will best serve their educational programs. Proposals will be submitted on behalf of each district to the Solutia Fund this spring, with first year funding decisions to be made by June. Decisions on specific equip ment needs for the second and third years will be made during the two coming school yean. Each school district will have a major role in shaping its request for computers and related technology assistance. Science education at the high school level is a company pri ority, but each district and the com pany will work together to deter mine where computers are most needed. . _ The Solutia Education Connection program has been endorsed by the Alabama State Department of Education, Alabama Education Association, and the Alabama Association of School. Boards. "Solutia is a leading company in applied chemistry, and we have a special interest in promoting strong science and technology education " said Sqlutiak chief operating officer. John Hunter. "This program will not only support families and students in our plant communities, but it will also strengthen the science aware-, ness and knowledge of our future employees. This is an important investment in these communities and our future in Alabama." . "We are looking forward to mak ing this connection with educators in our area to make a real difference, in science and technology opportu nities for our students," Meganck said. "This is an exciting step for ward for our schools, our communi ties and our company." ' Jhtsville and as many as 1,000 join Information coordinators: The wave of the future In a future worlk place defined by workplace experts, remote project tea!ins, instant com- OfficeTeim will release an edu- II by administrative assistants by 2005, executives in the same survey cited GSrt 138520 STLCOPCB4038475 04/28/99 5 .'56 DECfiTUR DRILY NEWSROOM NO.094 O0i snpoddqi csw 138521 STLCOPCB4038476 cHIji' iXimishm .Star Tuesday, April 27, 1999 Page 1B STLCOPCB4038477 Blake Hamilton, plant manager for the Solulia Anniston facility, announces the company's plan to help schools upgrade their technological prot- grams. Eleven school systems, including Artnistdn and Calhoun County, are eligible for $250,000 in technological grants. The company w announced the grants Monday at Cobb Elementary School in Anniston. N) fv