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November 17, 2008
CONTACT:
Sandy Fash
C. Blohm & Associates, Inc.
(608) 839-9800
sandy@cblohm.com
ePals Celebrates National Geography Awareness Week with 'Geography Central'
New online area in largest social learning network inspires students to learn about the planet and prepare for the National Geographic Bee
HERNDON, VA. (November 17, 2008) —
The lowest and highest points in North America are in which country? The Ural Mountains form the western boundary for which continent? ePals, Inc., developer of the largest social learning network, announces the launch of Geography Central, an online destination where students can connect with peers worldwide to explore the earth's landscapes and cultures, and prepare for the National Geographic Bee.
Celebrating National Geography Awareness Week, Nov. 16-22, this project-oriented group brings together a series of activities and resources to create geography-focused learning moments for students. Available to all members of the ePals Global Learning Community™, Geography Central provides resources related to four main topics: Geography Basics, Physical Geography, Human Geography and Bee Prepared, which helps students practice for the National Geographic Bee. Designed to inspire students to learn about new cultures, each platform allows access to interactive resources and provides opportunities for intelligent exchange.
"Geography Central complements our efforts to inspire students nationwide to learn the many facets of geography," said Mary Lee Elden, Director of Geographic Competitions for the National Geographic Society. "We are excited to collaborate with ePals who brings a global perspective to our work in engaging students in the study of geography and encouraging participation in the National Geographic Bee."
In Geography Central's blog and forums, students can weigh in on various topics, answer daily thought-provoking questions, access vivid maps, and learn about different cultures and geographic landscapes through myriad multimedia assets.
Tailored for students 4th through 8th grade, Geography Central provides access to nearly 40 of the past National Geographic Bee winners, who will be offering tips and guidelines for studying the concepts necessary to compete in the competition. Geography Central is available for students as they prepare for the national competition, which will be held in May 2009 in Washington D.C.
"This project-oriented group allows students to take charge of their own learning as they are guided by Geography Central's built-in framework. The unit is integrated into our global community, giving students access to the resources they need to master key geography skills and prepare for the National Geographic Bee, all while collaborating with students worldwide," said Edmund Fish, President and CEO of ePals, Inc. "Though National Geography Awareness Week is a U.S. celebration, we have incorporated a global perspective to teach American students the importance of global geography and international relations."
Geography Central expands beyond the many teacher-driven projects available at ePals.com. It provides students with an online environment that allows them to take charge of their own learning and to explore more deeply topics that interest them.
For more information about Geography Central, visit www.epals.com/geography/, or for the corporate web site, visit www.epalscorp.com.
About ePals, Inc.
Founded in 1996 and merged with In2Books in 2006, ePals offers K-12 students and teachers
around the world a safe environment for building and exchanging knowledge based on protected
connectivity tools, evidence-based curricula and authentic, collaborative learning experiences.
The ePals Global Learning Community™ (www.epals.com)
is the largest online community of K-12 learners, enabling more than half a million educators and millions of students across 200 countries and territories to safely connect, exchange ideas, and work together. The company's mission is to support lifelong learning through collaborative experiences that empower and inspire. ePals is especially committed to enabling academically rigorous educational opportunities in economically disadvantaged environments worldwide through the ePals Foundation — provider of In2Books, the company's flagship literacy e-mentoring program.
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