FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, August 25, 1999

Seven U.S. Teachers Selected To Design Peace Corps On-Line Community; Teachers To Build Educational Link

Washington, D.C., August 25, 1999—Seven teachers from across the United States have been selected to assist Peace Corps\' World Wise Schools program to create an on-line community to link U.S. educators, Peace Corps volunteers, and the peoples of Africa to address water-related issues, Peace Corps Acting Director Charles Baquet announced today.
World Wise Schools, a program within the Peace Corps which links more than 4,000 U.S. teachers with currently serving Peace Corps volunteers, was recently awarded a $50,000 grant through the U.S. Department of Education.
"As modern technology and communication make our world smaller, an understanding of other cultures becomes essential in students\' development as effective and responsible citizens," said Baquet. "We are grateful for the professional skills and vision that this group of educators will bring to this vital project."
The seven educators will design curriculum materials that draw upon the experiences of Peace Corps volunteers who are currently serving in Africa. Based on the theme, "Water: An Essential Element," Peace Corps volunteers will provide descriptive accounts and photographs that chronicle "a day in the life" in their countries. Using these resources, the teachers will then build an on-line community that links teachers and students across the U.S. to water-related issues in 25 African countries where Peace Corps volunteers now serve. The grant money will be used to develop an innovative learning module that integrates the use of technology with national educational standards for several core subjects.
In July, the seven teachers traveled to Peace Corps headquarters in Washington D.C. to participate in a two-day workshop on how to implement the program. They are: Michelle Abernathy-Tabor of Lynden Wash.; Karen Bockman of Baton Rouge, La.; Amy Cohen of Abington, Pa.; David Glennon of Westmont, N.J.; Robert Maher of Coolville, Ohio; Kristi Rennebohm Franz of Pullman, Wash.; and Carly Sporer of Chula Vista, Calif.
In addition to receiving curriculum materials and a quarterly newsletter, The Connection, teachers and students who participate in World Wise Schools are linked through a correspondence match to a currently serving Peace Corps volunteer.
More than 155,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps since 1961. Today, nearly 7,000 volunteers live and work in 77 countries across the globe. For more information about the Peace Corps, call (800) 424-8580 (press 1) to speak to a local recruiter. To learn more about World Wise Schools, call (800) 424-8580 (press 2, then ext. 1450) or send an e-mail to wwsin[email protected]. Peace Corps\' Web site is www.peacecorps.gov.

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