March 30, 2001 - National Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE:NSM) announced today it has donated $250,000 to the Arlington Independent School District (AISD) to purchase 300 hands-on science kits for classrooms throughout AISD's 47 elementary campuses.
The Full Option Science System (FOSS) kits bring students together in small work groups to conduct experiments on science topics such as sound, landforms, magnetism and electricity. FOSS curriculum kits are currently used in many schools throughout the U.S. and have received praise from teachers as well as students.
National's grant will provide kits for AISD's third, fourth and fifth grade students. The donation also includes teacher training and support throughout the three-year commitment of the program.
National presented the $250,000 check today during a special school assembly at Key Elementary School in Arlington. Governor Rick Perry was on hand for the celebration as was Elzie Odom, the mayor of Arlington. At the event, students from Key School demonstrated three FOSS experiments including "The Physics of Sound," a hands-on activity exploring the science and creation of sound.
"The state of Texas encourages business and school partnerships like the one announced today by National Semiconductor and AISD," said Governor Perry. "I applaud joint efforts which fully support our students and entice them to learn in new and exciting ways."
"Numerous studies have shown that hands-on and interactive projects effectively instill key concepts and help students learn," said Mac Bernd, AISD's superintendent. "Our district is appreciative of National's grant which will stimulate children's interest in science."
National, which currently employs 1,100 people in Texas, has a major semiconductor manufacturing facility in Arlington. The company made the grant through the National Semiconductor Foundation, a charitable foundation National established in August 2000 to focus on education and critical community needs. The AISD grant is the first foundation gift in Texas.
"This grant builds upon National's long-standing partnership with AISD and emphasizes our commitment to the students in Arlington," said John Conn, vice president and managing director of National's Arlington facility. "Developing an affinity for science is imperative for kids who want to pursue careers in technology. This grant is one way we're helping prepare students who want to become engineers, chemists and computer scientists."
National's Arlington site has become a major supplier of analog technology and integrated circuits that translate the "ones and zeroes" of the digital world into tangible information that humans can understand such as brighter displays, CD-quality audio, batteries with longer life and cell phones with greater clarity. Currently, analog comprises 73 percent of National's sales, making the Arlington site vitally important to the company.
About National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor is the premier analog company driving the information age. Combining real-world analog and state-of-the-art digital technology, the company is focused on the fast growing markets for wireless handsets; information appliances; information infrastructure; and display, imaging and human interface technologies. With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, National reported sales of $2.1 billion for its last fiscal year and has about 10,500 employees worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.
