FOUR AREA STUDENTS CLAIM TOP HONORS N MATH PLAYOFF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 1996

FOUR AREA STUDENTS CLAIM TOP HONORS
IN MATH
PLAYOFF

Lightning-fast minds win 24
Challenge competition

WASHINGTON, DC -- At first, there were 210 finalists from an
original
pool of 150,000 metro-area school kids. They'd won classroom, school
and county playoffs.

Four rounds later, the 1996 champions of the 24 Challenge math
competition were shaking hands with Rich Owen, defensive end for the
Washington Redskins, holding an autographed football in one hand and a
trophy in the other.

The winners in Monday night's fourth annual competition, sponsored by
the Council of Great City Schools and Bell Atlantic, were:

Grades 4 & 5: Kiek Choeung, Glen Forest Elementary School, Falls
Church, VA

Grade 6: Chamroeun Men, Glasgow Middle School, Alexandria, VA

Grades 7 & 8: Bridget Akintunde, Eisenhower Middle School,
Laurel, MD

Platinum Masters: Michael Gough, Walkersville Middle School,
Walkersville, MD

Since late last year, metro-area students in participating classrooms
have been playing the 24 Game. They study cards printed with four
numbers and try to be the first to add, multiply or divide them to
get the universal answer, 24. The game was invented by Robert Sun
of Suntex, International, Easton, PA, as a way to inspire American
students to be "First in Math." The National Air and Space
Museum
hosted the event.

Bell Atlantic provides funding for the competition as part of its
continuing commitment to improve and enrich the educational experience
of children living in the area the company serves.

Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE: BEL) is at the forefront of the new
communications, entertainment and information industry. In the
mid-Atlantic region, the company is the premier provider of local
telecommunications and advanced services. Globally, it is one of the
largest investors in the high-growth wireless communication
marketplace. Bell Atlantic also owns a substantial interest in
Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and is actively developing
high-growth national and international business opportunities in all
phases of the industry.

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for more information, contact:

Jim Smith, 703 974-5446
bdj6vr3@baplaza.bell-atl.com