RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. — April 28, 2005 — Samsung Electronics and Microsoft Corp. today announced at the Home Entertainment Show in New York that they are teaming up to contribute more than $2 million in technology to schools through Samsung’s second annual Hope For Education essay contest. Through the campaign, developed to benefit children’s education, the companies will deliver the latest technology products to elementary, middle and high schools across America through an online essay contest.
The contest invites students, teachers and parents to visit http://www.hopeforeducation.com and submit a 100-word essay on “How will the growing use of technology in the classroom benefit students in the future?” One grand prize of $200,000 in technology and 100 first-place prizes of $20,000 in technology will be awarded to the schools submitted by the top essay writers.
“We are thrilled to partner with Microsoft this year to bring technology to schools. Every day we see examples of the striking need for our children to have access to the latest technology in their educational environments,” said Peter Weedfald, senior vice president of Strategic Marketing, Samsung Electronics North America. “Samsung’s Hope For Education program offers opportunity to schools at a time when education budgets are being slashed nationwide. Microsoft continues to demonstrate its commitment to education through worldwide initiatives, and we expect this partnership to make a lasting positive impact on the future of our children.”
Technology prizes from Samsung and Microsoft include Samsung mobile, business and consumer electronics products; and education, productivity and entertainment software, such as Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library and Microsoft OneNote® 2003.
“Microsoft is committed to helping students realize their potential through educational software that inspires learning every day,” said Craig Bartholomew, general manager of the Education Products Group at Microsoft. “We are proud to be a part of Samsung’s Hope For Education, and look forward to providing our country’s children with the technology necessary to educate the next generation of global citizens.”
This year’s essay contest will run from April 28 to July 1. The winning essays will be chosen by a panel of judges representing the technology and education communities including Johnson School of Business, Wharton School of Business, USA Today, TWICE (a consumer electronic trade publication) and PC Magazine. As an added incentive, each winning essay writer will receive a new Samsung digital audio player (model YH-J70S).
Bringing Hope To Schools
Last year’s contest awarded a grand prize of $100,000 in technology to Washington Irving Middle School in Los Angeles. Nominator Chandice Covington wrote the winning essay describing how Samsung technology would benefit students such as Grej Pesjaka, who is visually impaired. The winners were invited to be part of a special Hope for Education presentation on The Tony Danza Show. 100 additional schools nationwide won $10,000 technology prizes, and winners in the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan area were honored during a ceremony at the Samsung Experience in Manhattan. Included in the awards were Samsung’s latest technology products such as 42-inch Plasma TVs, 32-inch DynaFlat TVs, 17-inch LCD monitors, DVD/VCR Combo units, Color Laser Printers and Camera Phones.
Hope Powered by the Internet
Samsung and Microsoft will promote the Hope For Education program through billions of Internet impressions, as well as print and viral marketing. More than 1 billion impressions a month will be generated through advertising space on over 400 top consumer and business Web sites, as well 250 college Web sites. To help get the word out about the 2005 initiative as quickly as possible, prominently placed banner space that Samsung owns full time will be dedicated to Samsung’s Hope for Education to raise awareness of the national program and invite the widest possible range of students, parents and educators to take part in the essay contest.
For more information please go to http://www.hopeforeducation.com
About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, advanced digital consumer electronics and information systems products. The SEA organization oversees the North American operations of Samsung’s business including Samsung Telecommunications America, Inc., Samsung Electronics Canada, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Mexico Inc. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information.
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies, with 2004 parent company sales of US$55.2 billion and net income of US$10.3 billion. Employing approximately 123,000 people in 93 offices in 48 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Note: Samsung Electronics is solely responsible for the execution and administration of the contest. See http://www.hopeforeducation.com for full rules.
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