School today is much "cooler" than studying the three R's - reading, writing, and arithmetic. Now, students are surfing the Internet and cruising the Information Superhighway to accelerate their learning and boost today's classroom into the future.
Students from elementary to high school are not only visiting the world via the Internet, but actually creating and maintaining Web sites for their schools' presence on the Web. For their forward thinking and initiative, Education WorldŽ and Cisco Systems sponsor a special program - called COOL SCHOOL - to honor these high-tech students, advisors and schools.
Education World (www.education-world.com) is the world's best educational resource (FamilyPC '98) and the largest education-specific search engine on the Internet. Education World coordinates the COOL SCHOOL program with a major sponsor, Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet.
Education World recognizes a "Cool School of the Week" each week to praise students and advisors for going above and beyond in the classroom.
From the 1998 winners, five schools were selected as Cool School of the Year finalists. These schools span the country, yet all have a common bond -understanding and implementing the power of the Internet.
The five Web sites vying for Cool School of the Year include:
Education World's Cool School staff reviews hundreds of school Web sites from across the country and picks those that best exemplify the criteria for Cool School of the Week. This coveted award is given to school Web sites that best illustrate: visual appeal, creativity, originality, community involvement or connection, use of technology, value to the students and school, use of curriculum on-line and practical applications in the educational setting.
The Cool School of the Year will be determined by popular vote on the Education World Web site at http://www.education-world.com/cool_school/csoy/1998/ from February 15 - 27 and by a distinguished panel of judges who will evaluate each finalist's Web site.
Judging will be weighed as 30 percent popular vote and 70 percent expert panel vote. The panel is composed of educational and technical experts from Cisco Systems, USA Today, Internet publication writers and other organizations.
The winner will be announced March 5, 1999. The Cool School of the Year will receive over $10,000 in networking equipment from Cisco Systems, trophies, shirts and other prizes.
"The students work together as a team creating their on-line resource which brings together both the school and the community," said Rob York, executive producer of Education World. "They put a lot of time and work into creating these sites. We want the communities to get behind them and vote for their efforts. These students are the best of the best and will be much more marketable workers from this exposure to the Web."
On a weekly basis, Cool School award winners receive exclusive Cool School T-shirts and mouse pads, two commemorative plaques, Cool School award certificates, plus a Cool School award winner button for their Web site. All Cool School award winners are also eligible to win the title of "Cool School of the Year."
Nominations for Cool School awards are accepted on the Education World Web site (http://www.education-world.com/cool_school). Any student-supported Web site for K-12 schools may be nominated.
Education World's Cool School program is sponsored by Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO). Sponsorship of Education World is one part of Cisco's corporate-wide initiative to provide the benefits of Internet access and international communication in today's classrooms. More information about all of Cisco's education programs is available at http://www.cisco.com/edu.
