Queens, N.Y. – An eye-catching van is hitting the road as part of an educational outreach program by the New York Hall of Science. The van will allow the Hall to reach 15,000 schoolchildren in classrooms across the New York metro area each year. The new van, along with funds for outreach programs, is made possible by a generous grant from KeySpan Foundation.

Hall instructors are using the van to transport materials and staff to K-12 classrooms in all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties. The science-based outreach programs cover a range of subjects including:

• bubbles
• the scientific method
• magnets
• insects
• DNA
• microbiology
• electricity

“With KeySpan Foundation’s generous grant and the stunning new van, we will be able to expand our educational outreach program and bring high-quality science education to thousands of children in New York,” said Marilyn Hoyt, president and CEO of the New York Hall of Science.

In the 2005-2006 school year, Hall instructors conducted 105 days of outreach, directly serving more than 7,000 students across New York City, and Suffolk and Westchester counties. The new van, wrapped in Hall-inspired photos and graphics, will allow the Hall to increase its educational outreaches and inspire more than 15,000 children.

“I am very proud of the KeySpan Foundation and how it has helped transform lives and communities by working with a host of diverse and remarkable organizations like the New York Hall of Science,” said Robert B. Catell, KeySpan Chairman and CEO. “Science education is especially important in the global technological society we live in today. By working together, we are inspiring thousands of potential young scientists.”

In addition to classroom outreach, the van will be used for off-site teacher training programs as well as community outreach festivals.

KeySpan Foundation
KeySpan’s community commitment is based on a long tradition of social responsibility and is fundamental to our identity as a good corporate citizen. The KeySpan Foundation was created to enhance the quality of life in areas where we provide services. Our ongoing challenge is to create opportunities for solutions to educational and environmental issues. Our Foundation philosophy is based on the principle that giving people the tools to build hope is an essential ingredient in the development of individuals, families and communities.

The purpose of the New York Hall of Science is to bring the excitement and understanding of science and technology to children, families, teachers and others by galvanizing their curiosity and offering them creative, participatory ways to learn. For more information, visit www.nyscience.org.

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Media Content:  Mary Record   718.699.0005 ext. 323