Press Release

November 14, 2007

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders and Motorola Champion the Innovation Generation

November 14, 2007 — The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, the city's first all girls public school and part of the Austin Independent School District, today announced it will receive a $50,468.00 Innovation Generation Grant from the Motorola Foundation. Through the Environmental Leaders Program, the Ann Richards School will equip classrooms with NOVA 5000 computing devices that will allow students to collect data and conduct environmental science experiments that are expected to result in student improvements in computer literacy, math and science.

The Motorola Foundation's Innovation Generation Grants fund education programs that spark a love of science, technology, engineering and math in today's youth. Recipients of Innovation Generation Grants will create programs to help kids discover that science, technology, engineering and math are challenging, interesting and fun, as well as fundamental skills for a bright future.

"With Motorola's Innovation Generation Grant, we will be able to offer young women in our community the educational foundation to change tomorrow's technology landscape," said Jeanne Goka, Principal of the Ann Richards School. "We are making an investment in our students and our community, and we look forward to advancing our mission with partners like Motorola."

The Environmental Leaders Program will include field based experiences and data collection at site visits and model data collection and analysis techniques specific to the fields of study such as manufacturing quality, water monitoring, renewable energy and more. The students will then work as teams to identify areas of interest and concern and create learning projects to allow more in depth study of the data.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs requiring science, engineering, or technical training will increase 24 percent to 6.3 million between 2004 and 2014, creating greater demand for critical thinkers fluent in technology. The Ann Richards school academic programs include a particular emphasis on science, technology, and math, challenging students to succeed where many girls often fall through the cracks.

Throughout the world, the Motorola Foundation's dynamic network is inspiring future inventors and engineers. In early 2007, Motorola launched the U.S. Innovation Generation Grant program, with $3.5 million available to support programs that infuse the future with skilled inventors. Funding focuses on programs that engage students in science, technology, engineering and math early in life, with priority given to those programs that incorporate Motorola employees as volunteers. For a complete list of Innovation Generation Grant recipients, visit www.motorola.com/giving.

"Motorola strives to help young people make the critical connection between the cutting-edge technology they enjoy every day and the educational foundation required to develop these cool products," said Eileen Sweeney, director, Motorola Foundation. "Motorola's partnership with the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders helps inspire a love of science by providing real-world experience and access to expert role models for young people around the nation."

Since 2000, Motorola Foundation has contributed more than $35 million in grants to a variety of programs that draw students closer to science, technology, engineering and math.

For more information, contact:

Roxanne Evans
Email: rjevans@austinisd.org
Phone: 512.414.1030
Fax: 512.474.7575

About the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders is a unique all-girls public school founded to educate young women and give them the confidence and skills necessary to succeed in college, in their careers, and in their communities. The school's college preparatory program focuses on the whole girl and includes an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math complimented by a strong liberal-arts curriculum and components in leadership development, wellness, and service learning. Located in Austin, Texas, the Ann Richards School currently serves 6th and 7th grades and will be adding a grade each year graduating the first 12th grade class in 2013. The school serves the needs of young women in Austin primarily those coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The school is made possible by a unique public-private partnership between the Austin Independent School District and the Foundation for the Education of Young Women, and the Ann Richards School Advisory Board.

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