Bell Atlantic Grant Prepares Students with Special Needs for the Workplace

Bell Atlantic Grant Prepares Students
with Special Needs for the Workplace

$13,000 Earmarked for Cerebral Palsy High School

April 16, 1999

CLIFTON, N.J. -- Thanks to a grant from the Bell Atlantic Foundation,
students with special needs in Passaic County will prepare for the

workplace by participating in an innovative program using
telecommunications technology.

The $13,000 grant, given to the Passaic County Elks Cerebral Palsy 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 support innovative programs that offer New Jersey's
youth myriad choices for success in the workplace," said William M.
Freeman, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic -- New Jersey. "By
providing students with access to high speed technology, we're enabling
them to use limitless resources and communications opportunities to
enhance their learning environments."

"Passaic County Elks Cerebral Palsy High School pays tribute today to its
dedicated teachers and the community for making the extra effort to
provide their students with opportunities to combine creative thinking with
telecommunications," 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 and school principal, William Weiss.

Since ONJ began 6 years ago, Bell Atlantic - New Jersey has provided
nearly $500,000 to New Jersey schools, working in partnership with the
NJASA. Under a complimentary program known as Access New Jersey,
Bell Atlantic also provided schools and libraries with $9.4 million of
equipment and $13.6 million in discounts to schools and libraries on
telecommunications services over the past year.

Passaic County is among five school districts in New Jersey to receive
Opportunity New Jersey grants from Bell Atlantic this year. Other grant
winners are the Union County Educational Services Commission in
Westfield, Clayton High School in Gloucester County, Lebanon Borough
Elementary School District in Hunterdon County, and St. Phillips
Academy in Newark

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.