US$45 million in SMARTer Kids Grants for SMART Roomware products available for 2001–2002 school year

All accredited, not-for-profit educational institutions, museums and libraries
in North America eligible for technology funding

Calgary, AB --- September 25, 2001 --- The SMARTer Kids Foundation announces US$45 million in SMARTer Kids Grants for SMART Roomware products available for the 2001–2002 school year. Open to accredited not-for-profit educational institutions, museums and libraries, these Grants are worth 25 to 50 percent of the suggested list price of SMART interactive whiteboards, multimedia furniture and software. There is no limit to the number of qualifying products that may be provided to a recipient. Over US$100 million in technology funding is now available through the SMARTer Kids Foundation for the current school year.

"The SMART Board is a powerful tool because teachers control the computer from the front of the classroom, using its large touch-sensitive surface," says J. Wanless Southwick, education-technology director of Dietrich School District #314 in Dietrich, Idaho. "This makes a significant difference in the way technology is used in the classroom."

"With a SMART Board in the classroom, teachers have an interactive tool with which to engage students and excite them to learn," says Nancy Knowlton, executive director of the SMARTer Kids Foundation. "With a SMARTer Kids Grant for SMART Roomware products, integrating the SMART Board into the curriculum becomes an affordable reality."

How to Apply
Applications are available online for K-12, higher-education and other institutions, or from the Foundation office at 403.228.8565. Applications must be received by midnight on August 31, 2002. Grants must be utilized by September 30, 2002.

Qualifying SMART Roomware Products
SMART Roomware products available for SMARTer Kids Grants include the SMART Board, Rear Projection SMART Board, SMART Board for Plasma Displays, SMART Expression and SynchronEyes. The SMART Board, Rear Projection SMART Board and SMART Board for Plasma Displays are interactive whiteboards that allow teachers to control and write notes over projected Macintosh or Windows applications simply by pressing on the Board's touch-sensitive surface. SMART Expression, a pre-wired, mobile multimedia cabinet, seamlessly integrates multimedia into an attractive, secure unit. With SynchronEyes, computer-lab instruction software, teachers can monitor and control up to 80 workstations in one computer lab, creating a focused learning environment.

Notable Recipients
The SMARTer Kids Foundation has enabled schools across North America to purchase technology they would otherwise not be able to afford. Recipients of SMARTer Kids Grants include the Harvard School of Public Health, Master's Academy and College, North Pole High School, Pomona Unified School District, Montgomery Bell Academy, UCLA, Northeastern State University and Town School for Boys.

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For more information, contact:
Public Relations
SMARTer Kids Foundation
403.228.8559
pr@smarterkids.org