Lanier Worldwide and Junior Achievement Partner to Teach Kids at Cary Reynolds School about Business; Lanier volunteers spend a week going `Back to School'

Business Wire, Oct 21, 2002

Business Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 21, 2002

Starting today, over 55 Lanier Worldwide, Inc. employees will spend their week volunteering at Cary Reynolds Elementary School, teaching Junior Achievement economic education lessons and sharing their own business experiences with 700 kindergarten through 5th graders at Cary Reynolds Elementary School in DeKalb County.

Previously occurring in the Spring to correspond with the school's "International Day," this school year the program will take place at the beginning of the school year. "Our employees really bond with the children, and teaching at the beginning of the year gives them a chance to work with the class periodically throughout the rest of the year, if they choose to," said Vice President of Human Resources Vera Arthur. "We are honored and proud to work with the children at Cary Reynolds Elementary School for the fourth year in a row. Lanier is committed to the community and this program through Junior Achievement allows us to touch a few children's lives."

The innovative "whole school" event is designed to bring dedicated Lanier employees into every classroom to teach the basics of business, economics and free enterprise to every Cary Reynolds student, using Junior Achievement age-specific lessons. The lessons utilize a series of six themes: Ourselves, Our Families, Our Community, Our City, Our Region and Our Nation. Through these one-hour a day sessions, students will learn the basic concepts of business and economics and how education is relevant to the workplace.

"This is our kids' favorite time of year," said school principal Melanie Bilda. "Lanier's partnership with us has been extremely valuable to the entire school, and we have seen the impact this program has made on the children's lives."

The sequential activities build on studies from each preceding grade and prepare students for secondary school and lifelong learning. The program themes also teach students that people assume roles as individuals, consumers and workers in an expanding cultural environment that extend from self and family to global relations.

"The commitment from these very busy Lanier employees to work with more than 700 students at Cary Reynolds Elementary School demonstrates the importance on education and continued learning which is a great example for other corporations to emulate," said Donna Stone Buchanan, President of Junior Achievement of Georgia.

ABOUT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF GEORGIA, INC.

Junior Achievement of Georgia is the state's largest and fastest-growing organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics and the free enterprise system. Through age-appropriate curricula, JA programs begin at the elementary school level, teaching children how they can impact the world around them as individuals, workers and consumers. JA programs continue through the middle and high school grades, preparing students for additional key economic and workforce issues they will face in the future. Today, Junior Achievement of Georgia reaches more than 80,000 students statewide through five district offices located in Atlanta, Augusta, Dalton, Gainesville and Savannah. For more information, visit www.jaofgeorgia.org.

ABOUT LANIER WORLDWIDE, INC.

Lanier Worldwide, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ricoh Corporation, the Americas sales and marketing unit of Ricoh Company, Ltd., a $14 billion global manufacturer of digital copier/printers. Lanier helps its customers succeed by understanding their unique document management needs and delivering systems and services that increase efficiency, reduce cost and improve document workflow. Award-winning solutions include digital copier/printers (color and black-and-white), fax systems and multifunction devices, as well as facilities management and outsourcing services. Lanier distinguishes itself through DOCutivity(R), a unique methodology used to develop innovative solutions to achieve business results. Lanier has earned industry-wide recognition for dedication to customer service, embodied in a company philosophy called Customer Vision(R). Founded in 1934, Lanier is based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. For more information, please visit www.lanier.com.