Bell Atlantic Grant Offers Students Hands-On Business Experience

Bell Atlantic Grant Offers Students Hands-On Business Experience

$30,000 Earmarked for Clayton High School

April 14, 1999

CLAYTON, N.J. -- Thanks to a $30,000 grant from the Bell Atlantic
Foundation, students attending Clayton High School will prepare for the
workplace by participating in an innovative program using
telecommunications technologies.

The grant, announced today at Clayton High School, is part of a Bell
Atlantic program known as Opportunity New Jersey (ONJ), which is
designed to bring the benefits of the Information Age to the state's
schools, libraries and urban areas.

"We are proud to partner with school administrators to broaden the scope
of instruction on technological skills," said William M. Freeman,
president and CEO of Bell Atlantic - New Jersey. "This is part of an
effort to help New Jersey's students use the limitless resources and
communications opportunities provided by access to high speed
technology to enhance their learning environments."

Grant funds will be used to expand the commercial art program to include
Web site design and electronic business promotion activities. Students
enrolled in the program will offer their services to local businesses by
educating them about the concepts of electronic marketing.

"The students at Clayton High School offer a glimpse at our future and
bring hope to their teachers and their communities, who have taken the
extra step to provide their students with this great opportunity", said Jim
Murphy, executive director of the New Jersey Association of School
Administrators (NJASA). "I also would like to acknowledge the
involvement and support provided by the Bell Atlantic Foundation;
Geraldine Carroll, superintendent of the Clayton Public School District;
Susan Reintzel, principal at Clayton High School, and Clayton teacher
Marc Mellier."

Since Opportunity New Jersey began six years ago, Bell Atlantic has
provided nearly $500.000 in grants to New Jersey schools working in
partnership with NJASA. Under a complementary program known as
Access New Jersey, Bell Atlantic last year provided New Jersey schools
and libraries with $9.4 million in telecommunications equipment and
$13.6 million in special discounts on telecommunication services.

Clayton is one of five school districts in New Jersey to receive
Opportunity New Jersey grants from Bell Atlantic this year. Other grant
winners are St. Philips Academy in Newark, Lebanon Borough
Elementary School District in Hunterdon County, Passaic County Elks
Cerebral Palsy High School in Clifton andthe Union County Educational
Services Commission in Westfield.

All public, private and parochial schools in New Jersey were eligible to
apply for ONJ grants. Grant applicants must demonstrate the use of
telecommunications and emerging information technologies to support
this year's theme of school-to-workplace readiness.

NJASA is an organization of professional educators dedicated to
advocating for school children in New Jersey. The association protects
the rights and opportunities, serves the educational interests and promotes
the educational welfare of New Jersey's youth.

The Bell Atlantic Foundation supports a variety of projects domestically
and internationally, with an emphasis on new technology applications in
education, health and human services, the arts and humanities, and civic
development in the communities served by Bell Atlantic. For more
information, visit www.bellatlanticfoundation.com on the Internet.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 42 million telephone access lines
and 8.6 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies
are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services,
market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of
directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the
world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets,
with operations and investments in 23 countries.