Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson announced this morning that Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North in Louisville, Kentucky is the recipient of the fourth annual Team Up for Technology grant.
“Team Up For Technology is an amazing partnership between the Foundation, Samsung and Lowe’s addressing the desperate need for updated technology in schools across the country,” said Johnson. “The schools did such a great job on their videos, and we’re excited to be able to award this year’s $48,000 grant to Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North.”
Olmsted Academy North was nominated by Lauren Heckman, a teacher at the school.
“It is a common occurrence that students don’t have access to computers outside the classroom,” Heckman shared. “Often times, however, the technology we have inside the school doesn’t work. Either the teachers have tech issues that derail the engaging lesson we have prepared, or the students can’t get on the computer because they are out of service. These kids are some of the best you’ll find in Kentucky, and I would love nothing more than to treat them with such an amazing gift as this tech make-over.”
Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North plans to use the technology grant award, which includes $20,800 in Samsung technology and a $27,200 grant from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, to purchase items such as laptops, desktop computers and LED monitors.
“We are proud to be partnering with the Jimmie Johnson Foundation and Lowe’s to support K-12 education,” said David Steel, Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics North America. “Through our efforts, we aim to spark kids’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math – subjects that help develop critical skills they need for future success.”
Ten schools were selected from more than 1,200 nominations as Team Up For Technology finalists. Each of the finalists was given a prize kit that included a Samsung digital camera and Samsung laptop to create a two-minute video demonstrating their school’s technology needs. Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North was chosen as the winner from an impressive group of finalists, including: Evergreen Elementary School (Cottonwood, Calif.), Hayes Academy For Advanced Studies (Metairie, La.), Liberty Elementary School (Franklin, Tenn.), Meade Senior High School (Ft. Meade, Md.), North Middle School (Rapid City, S.D.), Poplar Road Elementary School (Sharpsburg, Ga.), Summit High School (Phoenix), Vegas Verdes Elementary School (Las Vegas) and Whitewater Valley Elementary School (Harrison, Ohio).
Frederick Law Olmsted’s winning video can be viewed by visiting http://www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org.
The Team Up For Technology program encourages parents, teachers, administrators and children’s advocates nationwide to nominate their school to receive a technology makeover. Nominations were received through the Foundation’s website and Twitter account. In the past four years, more than $268,000 in cash and product has been awarded through this program.
Jimmie Johnson Foundation PR
