For Immediate Release

Voyager Honors Educators with Founder's Award

Dallas, December 19, 2006− This past October, Voyager Expanded Learning® bestowed the Voyager Founder's Award upon three district administrators at the annual National African American School Board Members Conference (NAASBMC) in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Dr. Deborah Jewell-Sherman, superintendent, Richmond Public Schools; Dr. Yvonne Brandon, associate superintendent, Richmond Public Schools; and Dr. Larry Lewis, superintendent, Lancaster Independent School District each received the award based on their commitment to teaching more students to learn to read.

The Founder's Award is given to educators who, through the implementation of Voyager programs in their districts, demonstrate heroism in winning the battle to achieve unprecedented, measurable gains in moving low-performing students and schools to standard, and substantially closing the achievement gap.

Voyager representatives Chris Blevins, national sales manager-West, and Carolyn Getridge, senior vice president of urban development, presented the awards at the NAASBMC reception attended by more than 100 people. Both Richmond Public Schools and Lancaster ISD received a $2000 donation to their district fund as part of the award.

"I was shocked, elated and grateful to receive the award. It is validation of all the hard work we are doing to increase literacy," says Dr. Larry Lewis. "Voyager has been an instrumental part of Lancaster's success."

In Lancaster, before implementing the Voyager Passport™ reading intervention program in 2004, only 68 percent of third graders passed TAKS. In 2005, after one year of Voyager Passport, 83 percent passed and in 2006, after two years in the program, 85 percent passed.

Richmond Public Schools has been using the Voyager Universal Literacy System® since 2001 and based on its success continues to add more Voyager programs, including Passport Reading Journeys™ and TimeWarp® Plus. Before implementing the Voyager Universal Literacy System, only 5 out of 21 schools met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). After three years of using the Universal Literacy System as the core reading curriculum in grades K-2, 19 out of 21 schools met AYP.

"I believe strongly that literacy is the gateway for each child's future learning and ultimate success. Therefore, I am pleased that Richmond Public Schools has formed such a strong partnership with Voyager, because our teachers have used the stellar training and materials to maximize our students' reading achievement," says Dr. Jewell-Sherman. "To be recognized by Voyager for the accomplishments we have garnered together was an honor I will long prize and appreciate."

The Founder's Award is given in honor of Voyager co-founder and former vice-chairman Admiral Thomas B. Hayward, U.S. Navy (ret.). One of the nation's true heroes and patriots, Admiral Hayward was the driving force behind Voyager's growth as a mission-driven company dedicated to making a difference in reading for millions of children. Admiral Hayward remains the guardian of Voyager's commitment to quality educational programs and services that deliver unprecedented results for historically low-performing students, schools, and districts. It is in his honor and in recognition of his efforts that the Voyager Founder's Award is presented to educators responsible for initiating change and increasing student achievement.

About Voyager Expanded Learning

Voyager Expanded Learning provides core, intervention and supplemental reading programs, as well as math intervention and ongoing professional development programs for school districts throughout the United States. Founded in 1994, Voyager has delivered extended-time reading and basic skills intervention programs as well as large-scale reading programs to more than 900 school districts in cities such as Dallas, Phoenix, New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, resulting in dramatically improved student performance. Voyager Expanded Learning, Inc. is part of ProQuest Education, a business segment of ProQuest Company, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For more information, please visit www.voyagerlearning.com or call 1-888-399-1995.

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• Shannan Walsh, Voyager Expanded Learning, (888) 399-1995 ext. 9476 swalsh@voyagerlearning.com