WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Stanford International School in Seattle and Academy of Allied Health and Science High School in Neptune, N.J. have been named the "Best of the Best" winners in the 2005 Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction Awards. Both earned honors in the "Collaboration" category for their innovative use of local, national and international partnerships to promote student achievement.

Eighteen other schools were celebrated as Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction in such categories as academic achievement, literacy, science, mathematics and leadership, among others, at a gala in Washington, D.C. Each winning school receives $10,000 from the Intel Foundation and a host of educational products and services from Scholastic and other sponsors. The two "Best of the Best" schools each receive an additional $15,000 grant from the Intel Foundation. Overall, Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction winners were awarded more than $5 million in cash and prizes during a ceremony honoring all 20 schools.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2006 Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction awards. Application information is available at http://www.schoolsofdistinction.com/ .

The awards program was established by Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, and Intel, the world's largest chip maker and long-time champion of educational improvement. It rewards schools for programs that promote student achievement and innovation in education.

This year's "Best of the Best" winning schools offer impressive examples of how public/private collaborations can positively impact student achievement.

John Stanford International School focuses on international education and foreign language immersion, and is dedicated to forging partnerships that foster high academic achievement and a strong sense of global citizenship among its K-5 students. The school sets ambitious curriculum goals in the areas of language, culture, academics and citizenship, emphasizing community involvement as an integral part of the school's plan for success. A partnership with the University of Washington Language Learning Center provides curriculum development support for the mandatory Spanish or Japanese language immersion program, as well as bilingual student interns, tutors, and guidance from the International Faculty Council. The business community in Seattle has provided funds to support students' foreign language proficiency assessment and has contributed to the purchase of books for the Japanese language program. JSIS students also consistently score above district standards in reading and math, which is taught in either Spanish or Japanese.

The Academy of Allied Health and Science (AAHS), a high school in the Monmouth County Vocational School District in Neptune, N.J., takes a service learning approach to prepare students to pursue careers in the medical sciences. Through a rigorous specialized curriculum supported by partnerships with the local University Medical Center, museums and other nonprofit service organizations, AAHS offers an enriched academic program that emphasizes the importance of community service. Partnerships with outside arts and educational institutions, distance learning and guest speakers help bring the outside world in, while a special 85-minute block schedule provides teachers extended time to employ real-life activities during which students may immediately apply what they have learned. Sophomores complete a six-week rotation in various departments at the local University Medical Center, while juniors complete grant applications and execute local community service projects. Affiliations with colleges enable students to earn up to 24 college credits in health and biology through coursework offered at the high school. Allied Health and Science has exceeded the state's expectations, as evidenced by the school's excellent results on the High School Proficiency Assessment.

"The winning schools are to be commended for their academic success and for producing students with a strong sense of public service," said Craig Barrett, Intel chairman. "Education can be transformed when government, educators, community and industry work together to achieve a common goal. By recognizing these excellent institutions, we hope other schools and classrooms will begin their own journey of transformation."

"These outstanding schools demonstrate the importance of collaboration in expanding the educational resources and experiences that we can offer school children. Working directly with teachers and schools to promote a love of learning is core to Scholastic's mission, and this year's 'Best of the Best' winners serve as excellent examples of how business and communities can work with schools to enhance academic opportunities for tomorrow's leaders," said Francie Alexander, chief academic officer, Scholastic.

The awards included cash grants from the Intel Foundation, Classroom Libraries and an array of other educational products and services from Scholastic, in addition to curriculum materials, software and hardware from corporate sponsors including Agilix, Blackboard, Dell Computer Corp., eInstruction Corp., Futurekids, Gateway, Microsoft Corp., Pitsco, Primedia, Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited, SAS, Scantron Corp., SchoolNet and SMART Technologies.

Scholastic Corporation is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the company's Internet site, http://www.scholastic.com/.

Intel's sponsorship of the awards is part of the Intel(R) Innovation in Education initiative, a sustained commitment -- in collaboration with educators and government leaders worldwide -- to help today's students develop the higher-level thinking skills they need to participate and succeed in a knowledge-based economy. For more information, visit http://www.intel.com/education.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at http://www.intel.com/pressroom.

Intel is a trademark or registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

CONTACT: Tami Casey, Intel Corporation, +1-408-765-8203,
tami.casey@intel.com; or Diane Domondon of Scholastic, +1-212-343-6424,
ddomondon@scholastic.com

Web site: http://www.scholastic.com/
http://www.intel.com/pressroom
http://www.intel.com/education
http://www.schoolsofdistinction.com/