ATLANTA, GA – With only a laptop and the assistance of legendary actor James Earl Jones, Verizon Senior Vice President Michelle Robinson, information provided by Thinkfinity.org and suggestions from a crowd of 250, an author will create a short story within minutes.

The literary improvisation will be part of the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) at the Georgia World Congress Center. The gifted author is 9-year-old Adora Svitak.

During the 20-minute demonstration designed to showcase her creative talents while highlighting the impact technology has on education and the creative process Adora will create a complete short story based solely on audience suggestions. The event, a Literary Improv, is scheduled to take place Tuesday June 26 at 12:30 p.m.

“Education is the key to unlocking terrific opportunities for children; it is the key to their future,” said Verizon Senior Vice President Michelle Robinson, who is responsible for the company’s public policy, external affairs and foundation activities in Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

“At Verizon, we’re committed to leveraging our expertise as a technology company by working with educational leaders to provide students, teachers and families with access to a wide variety of standards-based educational resources. We want to ensure that all children have the greatest opportunity to be the innovators of tomorrow,” she said.

The Literary Improv is one of several activities to take place at the NECC demonstrating the educational resources available for free through Thinkfinity.org. Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation’s signature educational and literacy program and online portal to more than 55,000 standards-based, grade-specific, K-12 lesson plans and other educational resources provided in partnership with many of the nation’s leading educational organizations.

The conference will be held June 24 – 27 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Robinson will host a reception at 7:00 p.m. on Monday June 25 at the High Museum of Art, Louvre Exhibit, in Atlanta.
For more than two decades, the NECC has been the premier forum at which to learn, exchange ideas and survey the field of educational technology. The annual conference presented by The International Society for Technology in Education and keyed to the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), features the largest educational technology exhibit in the world as well as hands-on workshops, lecture-format and interactive concurrent sessions, and discussions with today’s key industry leaders.


ABOUT VERIZON
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving 60.7 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.