3.29.2004 ET

(CSRwire) MINNEAPOLIS - The Best Buy Children's Foundation today announced that more than $2.9 million is being awarded to schools across the nation for demonstrating creativity in integrating interactive technology into classrooms. Each of the 1,162 schools selected will receive a $2,500 grant through the Best Buy Children's Foundation new te@ch program. Grants will serve nearly 435,000 students throughout the United States.

"Schools are creating exciting and valuable educational experiences through the use of technology in classrooms - the applications we received for te@ch demonstrate just that," said Susan Hoff, president of the Best Buy Children's Foundation. "Our desire is to help schools enrich student education by using technology to bring textbooks to life in fun and interactive ways. The more excited and involved students are in the learning process, the more valuable their educations will be."

One innovative recipient of a te@ch grant is Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, Calif. Under guidelines from the American Film Institute (AFI), students create and produce short films to communicate their understanding of academic subjects. According to the application, AFI and the school found the process of creating a film -- writing, pitching, producing and critiquing -- provides a compelling and highly motivating way for students to demonstrate mastery of the curriculum. Teachers hope to eventually present a student media festival in which students evaluate the films and receive awards. With the te@ch grant, Walter Reed Middle School intends to purchase hardware which will allow more students to work on the project.

Another success story comes from Bethlehem, Penn., where Liberty High School students are working to restore an 1856-era grist mill (called Illick's Mill) - a real-life, non-profit, multi-year project that brings the students and community together. Students are responsible for creating and maintaining a web site, writing grants, publishing quarterly newsletters,
and producing and presenting plans and learnings. According to the executive director of the Illick's Mill project, students involved in the project have higher than average school attendance and an increased attachment to their studies, as well as a commitment to their community's betterment. The school intends to use the te@ch grant to purchase hardware to allow for more efficient creation and sharing of information.

Applications for te@ch awards were accepted from October through December; all accredited, public and private nonprofit elementary, middle and secondary schools located within 25 miles of a Best Buy store were eligible. For details about te@ch awards, please visit www.BestBuy.com, click on the Community Relations link at the bottom of the page, and follow the links to te@ch.

About The Best Buy Children's Foundation
The Best Buy Children's Foundation, established in 1994, is committed to making learning fun through the funding of innovative, interactive and technology-based programs that engage and educate K-12 students. The Foundation provides grants to national nonprofit organizations with technology-related programs and directly to Best Buy communities. The Foundation is a nonprofit corporation organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, literary or scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and Section 290.05 of the Minn. Stat. Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY), the primary contributor to the Foundation, is North America's leading specialty retailer of consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software and appliances. Best Buy Co., Inc. donates up to 1.5 percent of its annual pretax earnings to the communities in which it does business.

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