Sun Donates Over $500,000 in Hardware, Software, Training and Support to Local School Districts; Employee Volunteers Lead More Than 30 SmartSchools NetDay '96 Projects

Business Wire, March 8, 1996

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 1996--Sun Microsystems, Inc., announced today that it has made more than $500,000 in donations to support SmartSchools NetDay '96, a collaborative effort of local companies, government and the community to install advanced computer networks in San Mateo and Santa Clara County schools on March 9.

The event is part of the statewide NetDay '96 effort to wire 20 percent of California's schools to the Internet.

Through its Open Gateways Program(TM), the Sun Microsystems Foundation, Inc., has made $283,000 in grants of Sun(TM) hardware, software, training and support to 11 school districts in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. The Open Gateways Program is an ongoing effort to give students access to the Internet as well as to create wide area networks in and between school districts. In addition, Sun has donated $200,000 to Smart Valley, the San Jose Education Network and the San Mateo and Santa Clara County Offices of Education to help coordinate and assist with '96 school wiring projects.

Sun employee volunteers are leading SmartSchools NetDay '96 wiring projects at 18 schools in Silicon Valley and 17 schools in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. To support their efforts, the Sun Microsystems Foundation has awarded twenty-six $1,000 grants to schools championed by employees. Sun has also made certain Sun products available to employees at large discounts. In addition, Sun's Silicon Valley Sales District is offering to schools and school districts discounts of up to 40 percent on selected Sun products.

To help teachers integrate the Internet into their classrooms, Sun held a "train-the-trainers" February 24-25 for teachers from Sun-championed NetDay '96 schools at the company's Milpitas campus. Twelve teachers local schools spent two days learning how to browse the World Wide Web and create their own Web pages.

Eleven Open Gateways Grants Made to School Districts

The Sun Microsystems Foundation issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in January 1996 for Open Gateways Program grants to school districts in Santa Clara and San Mateo County. Only districts that were participating in SmartSchools Netday '96 planning activities and that were committed to wiring at least two schools were eligible. In keeping with the its giving focus, the Foundation gave priority to districts that have a large population of students who are low-income and/or educationally disadvantaged. Sun also looked for school districts that have made an investment in building and maintaining their networking infrastructure. The foundation has made approximately $283,000 in Open Gateways Program grants to 11 school districts:

-- Cambrian Elementary School District -- Campbell Union High School District -- Campbell Union Elementary School District -- Cupertino Union School District -- Evergreen School District (software & training only) -- Franklin-McKinley School District -- Gilroy Unified School District -- Milpitas Unified School District -- Ravenswood City School District (software & training only) -- Santa Clara Unified School District -- Santa Clara County Office of Education, Alternative Schools Department

The grants consist of Sun's Netra(TM) i525 Internet Server, a complete Internet connectivity solution for PC, Macintosh and UNIX(R) workstation clients on local area networks. Software includes the Solaris(TM) operating environment, Internet and Web server software, Solstice(TM) FireWall-1 network security software and Solstice(TM) AutoClient(TM) system administration software.

To help train school district personnel to administer their WANs, Sun is also including several SunEducation system administration training classes and a one-year service contract. Sun employee volunteers will provide ongoing personal assistance to Sun-trained System Administrators, teachers and students through the company's Community Action Volunteer program.

Sun Donates $200,000 for SmartSchools NetDay Coordination

In November 1995, Sun made four grants totalling $200,000 to help coordinate SmartSchools NetDay '96. A grant of $50,000 was made to Smart Valley, Inc., to coordinate the efforts of private industry. Sun also gave $50,000 to the San Jose Education Network to help school districts develop and fund their technical plans and teacher training. Finally, Sun gave $50,000 each to the San Mateo and Santa Clara County Offices of Education to help them provide technical assistance in network administration to school districts and, if necessary, to provide direct network administration.

Internet Will be Continuing Focus for Foundation

The Sun Microsystems Foundation's commitment to networking schools predates NetDay '96 and will become the primary focus for Sun's future community investment activities. In addition to donations of cash and products, Sun and its foundation will be expanding the teacher training component of the Open Gateways Program to help schools and teachers integrate technology into their curriculum.