TORRANCE, Calif., Nov. 4, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virco® (Nasdaq:VIRC) – America's leading manufacturer and supplier of furniture and equipment for K-12 schools – has donated more than $300,000 worth of furniture for students and educators to three schools in partnership with the new NBC TV series, School Pride.
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Virco's donation to Enterprise Middle School in Compton, California, was featured during the debut episode of School Pride, which aired on October 15th. The October 29th episode of School Pride focused on Kingston Springs Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee, where Virco furnished the kindergarten classrooms.
Modeled on the popular Extreme Makeover: Home Edition series, which also featured Virco furniture donations, School Pride highlights the efforts of communities to renovate aging public schools, while (in the words of an NBC press release) "inspiring students, parents, and teachers to rediscover a sense of pride that will positively impact their lives and futures."
"Providing students and educators with the furniture they need is our top priority," said Larry Wonder, Virco's Vice President of Sales. "Working with School Pride is one of the many ways that Virco reaches out to support America's schools."
Be sure to watch for another upcoming School Pride episode – the date has not yet been announced – in which the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) in L.A. will receive new Virco furniture.
School Pride is shown Fridays on NBC at 8:00 pm Central; check your local listings for the time and station in your area.
In addition to collaborating with School Pride, Virco has a long-established history of donating to schools in partnership with educator-related organizations. For instance, Virco sponsors an annual Classroom Makeover in conjunction with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Every year since 2003, a school has been chosen at the NAESP convention to receive a Classroom Makeover that provides $10,000 worth of Virco furniture. Schools benefitting from these Classroom Makeovers include Percy Priest Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee; San Carlos Park Elementary School in Ft. Meyers, Florida; North Elementary School in Newport, Michigan; and Washington Elementary School in Valley City, North Dakota.
Virco has also worked with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) on several Classroom Makeovers, including projects for Elmer L. Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Oak-Land Jr. High School in Lake Elmo, Minnesota; and Gateway Regional School District, a combined intermediate/high school campus in Woodbury Heights, New Jersey.
On a related note, Virco has partnered with the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International since 1993 to sponsor the ASBO International Pinnacle Awards. Presented at the ASBO International conference, the Pinnacle Awards annually honor four school business officials who have developed outstanding, innovative practices and new ideas that benefit school entities and the profession of school business management. School business officials who receive the Pinnacle of Excellence Award – the highest Pinnacle honor – are provided with a donation of Virco furniture for their district valued at $5,000.
Another ongoing Virco furniture donation initiative involves the company's Adopt-A-School Program relationship with South Torrance High School near Virco's corporate headquarters in Torrance, California. Sponsored by the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, the Adopt-A-School Program helps to encourage support of the community's schools by business and government organizations. Since adopting South High in 1995, Virco has donated approximately $150,000 worth of furniture to the school.
Virco's extensive furniture donation projects comprise only one aspect of our wide-ranging Corporate Stewardship initiative, which includes industry-leading recycling achievements, charter membership in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's WasteWise Hall of Fame, and support for other important programs in partnership with the NAESP, NASSP, and ASBO International.
To learn more about Virco Corporate Stewardship, we invite you to visit and click on the Corporate Stewardship link.
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CONTACT: Virco Bob Roskos (310) 533-0474, ext. 485 BobRoskos@Virco.com