Optimum Lightpath Announces Westchester County Grant Program

JERICHO, N.Y., Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Westchester County schools are eager to continue advancing teaching and learning in the classroom. Optimum Lightpath^®, a market leader in Ethernet-based communication solutions for New York metropolitan area businesses, today announced that it has established a technology-focused educational grant program specifically for Westchester County schools to help continue expanding the use of technology in education. Grant applications are now being accepted and winners will be announced at a ceremony that will be held November 10, 2011, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., on the 9th floor of the Westchester County Building, located at 148 Martin Avenue in White Plains. Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino will speak at the ceremony and present award checks to the 2011 grant winners.

"Westchester prides itself as New York's 'Intellectual Capital' and technology is a critical part of that," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "Optimum Lightpath has been an important partner to Westchester County for more than a decade, helping us build a 100 percent fiber, high-performing network that allows communications throughout the county to flourish. We are excited that the company is now helping our school districts take advantage of that network by making state of the art technology programs possible for our teachers and students."

Investing in the Future of Westchester County Education

To further increase the capability of Westchester County schools to implement transformational technologies in the classroom, Optimum Lightpath has established the Transforming Education with Technology grant program, which will award up to $50,000 across selected schools. The program is open to public and private elementary and secondary schools throughout Westchester County. Grants will be awarded based on criteria that include how a school would use the awarded funds to:

• Leverage technology to improve instruction;
• Promote the use of technology to improve the overall education experience;
• Utilize new technology to promote distance learning; and
• Create new school initiatives centered around new technologies.

For program details and to determine eligibility, please visit http://optimumlightpath.com/education/education_grant.shtml. The deadline for submissions is October 10, 2011.

Optimum Lightpath's Education Services Suite has helped educational institutions throughout the New York metropolitan area achieve cost-savings over communication services and significant bandwidth boosts for greater flexibility in deploying new digital learning tools. As a result, schools are able to change the way education is delivered by empowering students through distance learning, interactive whiteboards, intra- and inter-campus communication through video conferencing, virtual field trips, one-to-one laptop initiatives, all-digital homework and assignment processes, real-time status update access for parents and more. For more information about Optimum Lightpath's work in the education sector, visit: http://www.optimumlightpath.com/education.  

"Technology has the power to take learning far beyond the classroom walls," said Julia McGrath, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Optimum Lightpath. "We are committed to assisting schools in leveraging technology to enhance teaching methods and help students better prepare for the future. As we work to make the vision of technology-enabled classrooms in every school a reality, we look forward to continue working with our education customers to deliver the value, flexibility and performance they need to succeed."

About Optimum Lightpath

Optimum Lightpath, a division of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC), is an industry leader in providing advanced Ethernet-based data, Internet, voice, video transport solutions and managed services to businesses across the New York metropolitan area. Optimum Lightpath's Network is a highly reliable, resilient, and scalable fiber-to-the-business-premises network extending more than 4,400 route miles connecting more than 4,500 fiber-lit locations. Exclusively focused on meeting customer needs in the world's largest business market for 20 years, Optimum Lightpath has been continually recognized for its high level of customer service. For 13 straight years, the New York State Public Service Commission has given Optimum Lightpath its Commendation of Excellence. Optimum Lightpath has received many industry awards for innovation and leadership. For more information, visit www.optimumlightpath.com.

SOURCE Optimum Lightpath