Time Warner Cable and 826 National Expand Youth Program to Inspire Interest in STEM through Creative

Time Warner Cable and 826 National Expand Youth Program to Inspire Interest in STEM through Creative Writing

Partners Present Commitment to Action at 2013 Clinton Global Initiative America Meeting; Unveil Plans to Publish Book of Innovative Lessons for Use in Afterschool Settings

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Time Warner Cable's philanthropic initiative, Connect a Million Minds (CAMM), in partnership with 826 National, announced an expansion of its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and Creative Writing program onstage at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America). The expanded Commitment to Action will result in the publication of a book - a compilation of lesson plans fusing STEM and creative writing - launching in fall 2014 for use in various afterschool settings. The book will be informed by a series of workshops taking place over the next year that incorporate hands on science learning into 826 National's proven creative writing model.

"Cross disciplinary thinking is essential when it comes to innovation," said Gerald Richards, CEO of 826 National. "Science and creative writing may sound like an unlikely pairing. By fusing the two topics, we are seeing a new sense of enthusiasm in students. We're excited to expand and build more workshops with Time Warner Cable to make science relevant, accessible and fun."

Starting this summer at 826LA, 826NYC, Operation Breakthrough (Kansas City) and the Flushing YMCA (NYC), students ranging in ages from eight to 12 will participate in workshops like "The Science of Superheroes" and the "STEM of the Zombie Apocalypse" that aim to make science relevant and exciting. The program's hands-on activities, designed for outside-the-classroom learning, will build off one another to employ different skill sets, from creative exploration to hypothesis-building skills.

"Time Warner Cable is proud to continue our partnership with 826 National and expand our commitment to fuse STEM and creative writing, which are essential skills for innovation," said Glenn Britt, CEO of Time Warner Cable. "Connect a Million Minds encourages young people to get excited about science, and this unique program will foster creativity in scientific thought."

The STEM and Creative Writing program is part of Time Warner Cable's philanthropic initiative, Connect a Million Minds. This five-year, $100 million initiative seeks to motivate students to develop the STEM skills they need to become the problem solvers of tomorrow.

"There are great opportunity, demand and need for high quality curriculum in the afterschool space," said Jodi Grant, Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, a non-profit working to ensure that all children have access to quality, affordable afterschool programs. "Time Warner Cable and 826 National's unique partnership will result in a compelling resource that can be used in afterschool programs across the country. Together, they will help kids dispel common science myths with hands-on activities and writing prompts that make science and math engaging and fun."

Tessie Topol, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility at Time Warner Cable, will announce the expansion of the STEM and Creative Writing Commitment to Action at CGI America's Opening Plenary Session today at 10:00AM CST in Chicago, IL.

Visit Time Warner Cable's corporate blog Untangled to view video and photos from last summer's STEM and creative writing workshops: http://bit.ly/194Sur8.

About Connect a Million Minds

Time Warner Cable's (TWC) Connect a Million Minds (CAMM) is a five-year, $100 million philanthropic initiative to address America's declining proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Using its media assets, TWC creates awareness of the issue and inspires students to develop the STEM skills they need to become the problem solvers of tomorrow. Program highlights include: original PSAs that challenge public perceptions of STEM; a unique website where the public can pledge to connect young people with the wonders of science; "The Connectory", an online resource for parents to find informal STEM learning opportunities in their communities; grants to non-profit organizations that bring after-school STEM learning to students; TWC employees, over 50,000 strong, who volunteer their time at events like science fairs and robotics competitions. National partners include CSAS (Coalition for Science After School) and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Local TWC markets are activating CAMM across the country with community-specific programs and partnerships. To find out more and to take the CAMM pledge, visit www.connectamillionminds.com.

About Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYS: TWC) is among the largest providers of video, high-speed data and phone services in the United States, connecting more than 15 million customers to entertainment, information and each other. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers data, video and phone services to businesses of all sizes, cell tower backhaul services to wireless carriers, and through its NaviSite subsidiary, enterprise-class hosting, managed application, messaging and cloud services. Time Warner Cable Media, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.timewarnercable.com, http://www.twcbc.com/, www.navisite.com, and www.twcmedia.com.

About 826 National

826 National is a nonprofit organization that ensures the success of its network of eight writing and tutoring centers, which each year assist nearly 30,000 young people. Our mission is based on the understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success. 826 centers (located in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Ann Arbor/Detroit, Washington DC and Seattle) offer a variety of inventive workshops and publishing programs that provide under-resourced students, ages 6-18, with opportunities to explore their creativity and improve their writing skills. We also aim to help teachers get their classes excited about writing. More information about 826 National can be found at www.826national.org.

About CGI America

The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. Established in June 2011 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) addresses economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting, CGI America participants have made more than 200 commitments valued at $13.4 billion when fully funded and implemented. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org.

Media:
Time Warner Cable
Eric Mangan, 212-364-8297
Eric.Mangan@twcable.com
or
826 National
Eric Stensvaag, 415-864-2098
Eric@826national.org

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