Grade six students and teachers travel to Calgary,Canada
as part of innovative learning program

Sixty students from across North America to meet in Calgary
for a week of learning and adventure

Calgary, AB --- May 12, 2003 --- On May 23, 2003, the Connections program will welcome grade six students and their teachers from ten North American schools to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Sixty three students from Alberta, California, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and Nova Scotia will gather for an exciting week of interpretive tours, activities and excursions. The trip celebrates the students' and teachers' two-year participation in the Connections program, offered through the SMARTer Kids Foundation of Canada. The Connections program equips upper elementary school classes with leading-edge technology, promotes collaborative projects between schools and culminates with teachers and selected students meeting for a fun-filled week in Calgary. The Connections program strives to foster, in each participating student, a greater sense of self-understanding and of connection to family, fellow students and the global community.

Participants in the Calgary Student Visit will enjoy many Alberta attractions, including Banff National Park, the Sulphur Mountain Gondola, the Calgary Zoo, the Royal Tyrrell Museum (a paleontology museum) and the Calgary Police Canine Training Facility. Costs associated with the visit, including airfare, accommodation, meals, local transportation and admission to Connections-sponsored activities, are covered by the SMARTer Kids Foundation."We're excited to celebrate these students' participation in the Connections program," says Nancy Knowlton, executive director of the SMARTer Kids Foundation. "Some of these students have never traveled outside their own communities. Through the Connections program, they're able to explore a different part of the world and build friendships and memories that will last for years to come."

For more information about the Connections program, visit www.smarterkids.org/connections.

The Connections Creed captures the values and ideals of this program:

In my life, I can stand alone without being lonely. I can reach out and feel connected to family, friends and teachers. I will surround myself with people who inspire me to be the best person I can be. I am connected to others in many ways, but what matters the most is what is within me and who I choose to be.

	Parkdale Elementary, Calgary, Alberta
	Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, Okotoks, Alberta
	G.R. Davis Elementary, Fort Macleod, Alberta
	William T. Machan, Phoenix, Arizona
	Winchell Elementary, Fresno, California
	Saline High School, Saline, Louisiana
	East Sunflower Elementary, Sunflower, Mississippi
	Carson City Middle School, Carson City, Nevada
	Mount Carmel Elementary, New Waterford, Nova Scotia

Product Donations
All Connections schools have received a SMART Board 580 interactive whiteboard, a Floor Stand 570 and an NEC VT45 projector. These products have been integrated with curriculum to support collaborative learning projects. The SMARTer Kids Foundation thanks SMART Technologies Inc. and NEC Solutions America, Visual Systems Division for these product donations and their ongoing support.

About SMARTer Kids Foundation
The SMARTer Kids Foundation provides opportunities for both students and teachers to learn new skills and grow in self-confidence by placing technology and programs at their service. Established in 1997, this private Foundation helps equip classrooms with technology products, provides collaborative learning opportunities for teachers and students and generates practical research on the impact and effectiveness of technology in the classroom. With over US$60 million in Grants, donations and funding available for this school year, the Foundation is committed to working with educators to make a positive contribution to education.

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