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Nokia to Donate 1000 Phones to Texas High Schools
October 29, 1998
-ClassLinkSM Texas announces call for applications for donated wireless phones and airtime-
Through a pilot philanthropic initiative called ClassLinkSM Texas, Nokia, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association Foundation and leading wireless telephone carriers are donating 1,000 wireless telephones and airtime to counselor-led teams of educators. All public high schools in Texas are invited to apply for the two-year program to receive five free phones and airtime.
Two hundred high school counselors will receive phones and training to establish action teams of teachers, administrators, students or other counselors to help address each school's most pressing challenges through the instant communication ability of wireless phones.
Over the last four years ClassLinkSM, a CTIA program, has outfitted over 150 schools throughout the United States (12 in Texas) with wireless phone systems. A recent national assessment of the program revealed that teachers find a wireless phone a more valuable tool than computers or Internet access. Also, 87% of teachers in the program reported more frequent contact with parents. Says one Texas counselor, "I have doubled my parent contact since I programmed students' numbers into my wireless phone. It is so easy to call parents now, wherever I am!"
Through a pre-launch test of the ClassLinkSM Texas program this fall, two North Texas schools, Plano Senior High and Red Oak High School, already are experiencing the benefits of wireless communication. "Last week I urgently needed to maintain contact on a crisis intervention issue; if it had not been for the direct connection of my wireless phone, I could not have continued with my other responsibilities," said Plano ISD counselor Julie Burton.
"Linking teachers to each other has meant more effective instruction and safer school environments," said K-P Wilska, president of Nokia Mobile Phones for the Americas region. "Now Nokia and our carrier partners hope to expand the scope of the project by reaching more schools and by focusing the use of the phones on specific challenges in each school."
CTIA Chairman and industry leader Thomas Wheeler acknowledged the importance of Nokia's support for industry initiatives and applauded the wireless carriers that have agreed to provide airtime for the project. "We estimate the total commitment of this pilot at over $1 million, and a significant amount of that from Texas carriers. ClassLinkSM Texas illustrates a truly collaborative effort of the wireless industry." Participating carriers include: Alltel, AT&T wireless, Southwestern Bell Wireless, Aerial Communications, Houston Cellular, Western Wireless, PrimeCo, and Dobson Cellular.
A statewide launch of the ClassLinkSM Texas education initiative will take place on Thursday October 29, 1998 at 1:45 PM at Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Texas. Applications will be mailed out to all Texas public high schools the same day. For information regarding ClassLinkSM Texas or the application process, you may visit www.nokia.com, call 1-800-839-1106, or e-mail classlink@nokia.com.
CTIA, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, is the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry.
The CTIA Foundation for Wireless Telecommunications is a not-for-profit organization that supports worthwhile projects that demonstrate the benefits of wireless technology to education, healthcare, and job creativity/productivity.
Nokia is the world's leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile and fixed telecom networks including related customer services. Nokia also supplies solutions and products for fixed and wireless datacom, as well as multimedia terminals and computer monitors. In 1997, net sales totaled FIM 52.6 billion (USD 9.8 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on five European Stock Exchanges and on the New York Stock Exchange (NOK.A), has sales in 130 countries and employs more than 42,000 people world-wide.
Contact information:
Micaela Tucker-Kinney
Communications Manager, Americas
Nokia, Inc.
Tel. +1 972 894 4307
Mobile: +1 972 740 4991
Michael Evans
Executive Director
CTIA Foundation
Tel. +1 202 736 3881
Mobile: +1 202 255 9449
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