Optimum PR

- Future Shop provides opportunity for Richmond secondary school with leading resources in the classroom -

BURNABY, BC (September 9, 2009) Future Shop, in partnership with the Richmond Board of Education, opened a Future Generation Tech Lab in the Richmond School District today, solidifying the company’s commitment to secondary students and schools across Canada and addressing one of their leading challenges. With an increasing demand for digital tools in the classrooms, principals have reported that funding for computers and related equipment is an ongoing challenge*. In response, The Future Generation Tech Lab program, established in April 2009, contributes $50,000 donations to each of the selected schools to upgrade classrooms into leading edge technology centres.

To gain an accurate assessment of Canadians thoughts on corporate donations in schools, Future Shop commissioned an Ipsos Reid survey** and found a majority of Canadians (77 per cent) do not believe it is their responsibility to raise funds for school resources, while 87 per cent were in support of corporation donations made to public schools.

“We have the ability to help provide digital tools to schools to inspire motivate, and empower secondary students across Canada,” said Todd Empey, vice-president, operations, Future Shop. “The Future Generation Tech Lab program is designed to give schools the modern technology required to deliver enriched learning environments for our youth”

The survey results also found:

• - Ninety-seven per cent of Canadians indicated it is important for students to have access to up-to-date technology in school
• - Ninety per cent of women are supportive of corporate donations to schools
• - Parents (93 per cent) have an even higher propensity to support corporate donations to public schools than those without children (83 per cent). Support is widespread across Canada

The Future Generation program endeavours to help reduce the economic and digital divide for grades 10-12 students in schools considered by their districts to be high in need.

This type of partnership between the school and a community-focused initiative such as the Future Generation Tech Lab is very helpful to us both in improving academic achievement and teaching modern skills for learning and work.” said Linda McPhail, Chairperson, Board of Education, Richmond.” This program is creating opportunities for many students by providing them with the latest technology and we are extremely pleased to be amongst the first recipients.”

This year, R.C. Palmer Secondary School in Richmond, BC, was selected as a recipient of the Future Generation Tech Lab program.

• R.C. Palmer Secondary School will launch a multi-media lab that will offer grade 10-12 students with access to unique programs including Music Composition and Broadcasting. Richmond’s Virtual School, which boasts one of the highest completion rates in the province, will also find a permanent home in the lab and allow expansion of the program’s offerings to the District’s students.

“The Future Generation Tech Lab program is still in its early stages and we are very excited with the overall response and support we have received from participating schools across the country,” said Empey. “We want to continue to help make a positive impact in our communities, and we believe that providing resources is one of the best ways we can help our local communities and schools succeed.”

To learn more about Future Shop’ Future Generation Tech Lab program, please visit http://www.futureshop.ca//futuregeneration

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*These are findings from the ICTSS that was conducted in October 2003 by Statistics Canada in partnership with the sponsor of the survey, Industry Canada’s SchoolNet program. For more information please visit http://www.statcan.gc.ca/kits-trousses/courses-cours/edu05_0008a-eng.htm.   

**These are findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf o Future Shop from July 14-22, 2009.  This online survey of 1,018 adults aged 18 and older in Canada is accurate within +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

 About Future Shop’s Future Generation

The Future Generation Tech Lab program expands on a nearly 10-year commitment to support students and education in Canada. Since 2001, Future Shop has donated over 500 post-secondary scholarships (valued at $3,000 each), over 600 computers to non-profit partners and five Tech Labs to secondary schools across Canada. Each of Future Shop’s 142 stores donates to non-profits and communities on an individual basis, and supports employee volunteerism with Volunteer Awards.