Mouse Partners with the Salem-Keizer Education Foundation to Bring Mouse Squad to the State Capital

NEW YORK, August 21, 2012 – Mouse, a national nonprofit organization that empowers and inspires underserved youth with technology, is pleased to welcome its newest Mouse Squad school district in Salem-Keizer, Oregon. Based in the state capital, the Salem-Keizer school district is the 2nd largest district in the state serving more than 40,000 students, with a high population of underserved youth.

“We strive to make what our students are learning in school relevant to the opportunities they can have in the future,” stated Krina Lemons, Executive Director, Salem-Keizer Education Foundation. “I was blown away when I saw the Mouse Squad program in action, with the depth of the curriculum and the way students were deeply engaged in a social action project and determined to use technology make a difference in their world.”

Salem-Keizer will introduce the Mouse Squad program in all 11 of their middle schools this year, as part of their broader initiative to engage and prepare students in STEM-related disciplines. Educators were introduced to this program during their “STEM & Beyond” professional development conference on August 16th.

“One of the goals of our District is to prepare students for college and their careers, and Mouse Squad is a program that can help us in that goal,” stated Ben Tate, IT Manager, Salem-Keizer School District. “We are very excited to have Mouse Squad available to our students.”

The Mouse Squad program was funded through a STEM grant from the Oregon Department of Education and partnerships with the First Tech Credit Union, Best Buy and the Salem-Keizer School District.

“Our students, families and community are craving these experiences,” explained Lemons. “We need to view technology not as an isolated silo, but as a tool that assists in literacy development and a way to provide career options for our students.”

Salem-Keizer plans to expand the Mouse Squad program next school year and share the impact of the program with other schools across the state.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Salem-Keizer School District as our newest members of our national Mouse Squad network,” stated Carole Wacey, Executive Director, Mouse. “We applaud the commitment and dedication of the Salem-Keizer Education Foundation to provide innovative afterschool programming that inspires and prepares students for exciting opportunities in our digital world.”

About Mouse
Mouse empowers underserved youth to learn, lead and create with technology, preparing them with skills essential for their academic and career success. Founded in New York City in 1997, Mouse is a dynamic nonprofit organization having a positive and lasting impact on students in more than 375 locations in the United States, including in New York, California, Chicago and Texas, as well as a global presence in more than 50 countries. To learn more about Mouse, visit http://www.mouse.org.

About The Salem-Keizer Education Foundation
The Salem-Keizer Education Foundation is a catalyst for the enhancement of the education and development of all Salem-Keizer youth by providing resources for creative and innovative programs and materials, educating and mobilizing the community, and sustaining collaborative partnerships that support its goals.

Contact
Susan Schwartz
Communications Director, Mouse 
susan@mouse.org