Boston, MA - November 10, 2006 -Teams of educators from four middle schools across the U.S. have been chosen as winners of the 11th annual "Teams That Make A Difference Award," which identifies individuals who work to improve the education and well being of adolescents. Education publisher Pearson Prentice Hall and the National Middle School Association (NMSA) are joint sponsors of the Awards.

The 2006 winning schools are:

The awards focus on teams that created a program, activity, or strategy to improve academic achievement or connect adolescents with their community. Teams are not simply groups of teachers. They may, and often do, include students, parents, administrators, and community members. Judging is done by a qualified panel of middle level practitioners. Each team presented its winning program at the National Middle School Association's Annual Conference in Nashville, TN, on November 2-4, 2006.

"The wonderful teams at these four schools demonstrate an important lesson for all of us: working together, we can achieve great things," said Martha Smith, President, Pearson Education School Group.

"One of the most important elements in middle school education is teaming. Educators working together to provide a quality program for adolescents provide a tremendous benefit to their community and school," said Sue Swaim, NMSA Executive Director.

The Panda Team is an all-girls team of approximately 100 sixth grade students at Bailey Bridge Middle School. Each school year new ways have been sought to connect the students with the surrounding community. Previously, the Panda Team has worked with third grade students, built a garden at the school, assisted Habitat for Humanity and started a Book Buddy program with a rural kindergarten class. This past year The Panda Team raised money to donate to the Red Cross to assist in the Katrina Relief efforts and participated in collecting books for a middle school in Mississippi. The Panda Team has fostered strong close ties between the students and the surrounding community.

The Keokuk eighth grade team developed and implemented a successful three-fold program to promote student achievement, build student self-esteem and connect students to the community. To promote academic achievement, the team developed units which were included in each core subject area. Reading skills were strengthened through the use of novels and the Accelerated Reader Program. To build positive character traits and improve student behavior the team decided to show students that their efforts in school and sports were appreciated. Community awareness was addressed by keeping parents informed and involved. Parents receive a newsletter, volunteer as chaperones and are often invited to visit school. The program developed by Keokuk gives students a chance to appreciate the positive attributes that make each of them special.

Seated in a classroom, surrounded by the photographs of famous Starfleet personnel, the students of McConnell Middle School begin their day aboard the educational starship, U. S. S. Innerpride. Science fiction and space exploration are the hub of the studies. Lessons were developed for this new generation of students to engage them in interactive and media rich lessons using productivity and subject area software. The students worked in cooperative learning groups modeled after NASA shuttle teams, emphasizing interactivity, critical thinking, information, and technology.

Five years ago the teachers on the Explorer Team at Springman Middle School decided that the lives of their students would be greatly enriched if the work they did in the classroom was extended into the community-at-large. It was believed an ongoing service-learning project would help students recognize that not only do they have something valuable and real to contribute to the well-being of society, but also have the responsibility to do so. In the third year Explorer Team connected with Family Matters, a family centered organization located on the north side of Chicago in a neighborhood that is ethnically diverse and economically challenged. As the students and teachers became familiar with the core values of Family Matters and witnessed the impact that they could have, they became more aware of the opportunities to grow as citizens and human beings.

All winning schools receive a $3,000 cash award from Pearson Prentice Hall; a one-year individual membership in NMSA for up to four team members; a $100 coupon for NMSA publications; and free registration, lodging and social event tickets at the NMSA Annual Conference.

About National Middle School Association
National Middle School Association is the nation's largest professional organization serving educators and parents who work with 10 to 15 year olds. With over 30,000 members, it provides professional development, has initiated Month of the Young Adolescent, and disseminates information on this age group. For more information visit www.nmsa.org.

About Pearson Education Educating 100 million people worldwide, Pearson Education (www.pearsoned.com) is the global leader in educational publishing, providing scientifically research-based print and digital programs to help students of all ages learn at their own pace, in their own way. Virtually all students in America learn from a Pearson program at some point in their educational career. The company is home to such renowned publishing brands as Pearson Prentice Hall, Pearson Scott Foresman, Pearson Early Learning, Pearson Digital Learning, Pearson Learning Group, and Family Education Network. Pearson Education is part of Pearson (NYSE: PSO), the international media company. In addition to Pearson Education, Pearson's primary operations include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group

CONTACT:

Rod Granger
Pearson Education
212-782-3486
rod.granger@pearsoned.com