National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Chicago Public Schools Announce Digital Media Partnership

Potentially 300,000 CPS Students to Receive Freedom Center Content

CINCINNATI, March 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two national players in education, eLearning and technology are partnering to bring hundreds of educators and potentially 300,000 students in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) the powerful educational content from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (Freedom Center) in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Via high quality, cutting-edge digital media, the 'experience' of the Freedom Center and its curriculum-matching content will be integrated into the classroom experiences of the students in 110 schools within the CPS system.

"With distance learning technology, we are able to take the Freedom Center content -- developed and continuing to develop -- to interested learners across the globe. The number of people who will be able to receive this important content is endless," said Donald W. Murphy, Chief Executive Officer of the Freedom Center.

Ernest Perry, Chief Innovation Officer for the Freedom Center, said, "Our goal is that these students will be inspired so that they will actively ensure that these lessons from history don't repeat again. That is the theme of the Freedom Center's content -- be aware, be courageous, be persistent, be cooperative, be vocal."

Arne Duncan, Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools, explained that the partnership will address the shift in learning styles of today's students. "Our students are eager for content that is pertinent in their lives today and they respond best when that content is presented dynamically."

"There is no limit to how this partnership with the Freedom Center could expand to all of our students within our system. And there is no limit to the impact it will have in both their academic and everyday lives," said Duncan.

Perry continued, "The Freedom Center and CPS' Office of eLearning share many synergies that make this project a natural fit. We both understand that digital media and dynamic content are ubiquitous in the 21st Century, and that learners' engagement with them is very high."

This initiative is being funded by Ariel Mutual Funds. John W. Rogers, Jr., Founder and Chairman of Ariel Capital Management, LLC/Ariel Mutual Funds, commented that he knows that with financial support, "these Chicago students will be able to experience important history in a non-static way. We are proud to be able to support this innovative approach to learning."

"Technology has an empowering effect for learners," Perry said.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio

Since its opening in 2004, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has become one of the nation's foremost providers of standards-aligned education programs for students. Through interactive exhibits, presentations by nationally-known speakers, and dynamic year-round programming, the Center has set the standard for dealing with important historical lessons and encouraging visitors to apply those lessons to the world today. The Center's mission is to educate the public and visitors about the historic and the continuing struggle for freedom through stories of courage and the Underground Railroad.