WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On October 8, Tiger Woods joined the 9th grade class at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School's Capitol Hill Campus for an exciting assembly that celebrated the official expansion of the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC-DC) to the Washington, D.C. area.
Woods, along with two Earl Woods Scholars from the D.C. area, Ayanna Brooks and Fatou Sogoyou-Bekeyi, hosted this special assembly to answer questions about the TWLC programs and to encourage the student body to participate.
"I am thrilled to be here today to celebrate the Capitol Hill and Parkside campuses. I know the Learning Center will be an amazing resource for the students at Cesar Chavez," Woods said. "The purpose of our programs is to help them have fun studying science, engineering, technology and math."
The two TWLC-DC campuses are located at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School (TWLC-Capitol Hill Campus) in Ward 6, and the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School (TWLC-Parkside Campus) in Ward 7. The TWLC-DC spaces and curriculum are custom-built for the young people in that community, providing students in multiple wards access to innovative programs and the latest technology.
"The creation of the TWLC-DC campus model evolved from extensive research," Greg McLaughlin, president and CEO of the Tiger Woods Foundation, said. "We chose this model so we could deliver our high-quality programs to the young people of the District this year."
Since announcing its intention to build a Learning Center in D.C. in 2007, the Foundation funded several multi-year studies and researched numerous locations to determine the most beneficial model for the D.C. community. During this research phase, the Foundation evaluated the effectiveness and viability of the campus model, in which the TWLC is operating from a space within an existing school or community center.
TWLC-DC is excited to begin a partnership with Cesar Chavez, a charter school system that is committed to preparing kids to succeed in college. Chavez has a rigorous academic curriculum, unique public policy program, top-notch faculty and a supportive learning environment.
Each campus is run by TWLC-DC staff with the curriculum focusing on career exploration in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and communications, as well as providing mentoring and teacher training. In addition to these locations, the Foundation is evaluating the addition of more TWLC-DC campuses – including a partnership that will serve DCPS students, as well as exploring the possibility of selecting a site to construct a stand-alone facility.
Students attending the TWLC-DC will experience a technology-rich, innovative and highly motivated environment that has been integral to the success of the Southern California location. Activities include building and programming robots, exploring space and creating their own films.
Joining Tiger Woods and the Foundation in supporting the TWLC-DC through generous contributions are Founding Sponsors, AT&T, Booz Allen Hamilton, Fannie Mae, HSBC, Lenovo, Microsoft and MTM Builder/Developer Inc.; and Supporting Sponsors Intelligent Decisions and Adobe Systems Incorporated.
In February 2006, the Tiger Woods Foundation opened the first Learning Center in Orange County, Calif., which to date has served more than 45,000 young people through its innovative programs. Sample classes include forensic science, aerospace, engineering, robotics, biotechnology, video production and graphic design.
Since 2007 the Tiger Woods Foundation has provided programmatic grants to more than 80 local D.C. area youth organizations, and awarded 14 local students with a college scholarship as part of the Earl Woods Scholarship Program.
About the Tiger Woods Foundation
Since 1996 the Tiger Woods Foundation has reached more than 10 million young people by delivering unique experiences and innovative educational opportunities for youth worldwide. Specific programs of the Foundation include The Tiger Woods Learning Center, a one-of-a-kind, 35,000-square-foot education facility custom-built for the underserved youth of Southern California. Everything at the Learning Center is about active participation and hands-on learning. Students in grades 5-12 participate in classes ranging from forensic science to graphic design.
Tiger's Action Plan is a collection of curricula distributed to students nationwide. Each curriculum contains interactive and informative lesson plans that focus on subjects important to young people including exploring careers, planning for the future, financial responsibility and the importance of making a difference in your community. The Foundation has also helped send 25 bright, young students to college through the Earl Woods Scholarship Program. Scholarships are renewable for up to four years, with students chosen based on demonstrated financial need and a proven commitment to community service. In addition to its original programming, the Foundation also awards grants to youth-based organizations around the world. For more information visit .
About Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy
The first César Chávez Public Charter School for Public Policy was founded in 1998 in response to lagging academic performance and exceedingly low high school graduation and college matriculation rates among District of Columbia public school students, especially among minority and low-income students. Founder Irasema Salcido wanted to provide a high quality public school option for young people residing in the District of Columbia's most impoverished and underserved communities. The Chávez schools prepare D.C. students to succeed in competitive colleges so that they can use their lives to make a positive difference in the world.
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CONTACT: Tiger Woods Foundation Emily Taylor etaylor@tigerwoodsfoundation.org Rachel Rees rrees@tigerwoodsfoundation.org 949-725-3003