Area Students to See Award-Winning Science Video Series Through Gift From Donnelly Corporation
19 November 1997
Area Students to See Award-Winning Science Video Series Through Gift From Donnelly Corporation
HOLLAND, Mich., Nov. 19 -- Could swallowing molecule-size
machines really make people healthier? If most types of paralyses are so bad,
why is sleep paralysis good for people? And why would anyone want to plant a
crop of earthworms?
These are just three of the hundreds of scientific questions area students
will be able to answer after viewing the Science Screen Reports video series.
Through a gift from Holland-based Donnelly Corporation , the
award-winning science series will be seen in classrooms throughout Allegan and
Ottawa counties from now until the end of the school year.
The Science Screen Reports series is designed to get the complex story of
today's scientific and technological developments across to students in a
positive, objective and exciting manner.
"At Donnelly, every day we have scientists and engineers developing the
new technologies and products that will continue to drive our growth in the
future," said Dwane Baumgardner, Donnelly chairman and chief executive
officer. "In fact, science, technology and innovation have formed the
foundation of Donnelly's success in the automotive industry. If companies
like Donnelly are to have the talented, forward-thinking employees we need in
10, 15 or 20 years, today is when we must introduce to students the wonder and
excitement offered in science. That's exactly what the Science Screen Reports
will do for our area students."
Each issue of Science Screen Reports highlights one of the latest
developments in chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, the environment,
engineering and other high-tech subjects.
For example, the first tapes in the 1997-98 series focus on:
* nanotechnology: a new field where science and manufacturing begin at
an atomic level
* the brain's power to control every muscle movement, from walking to
writing to painting
* reclamation: restoring life-giving qualities to land that has been
stripped by mining.
Along with each videotape, schools receive a teacher's guide with a
glossary of terms, study questions, a bibliography and a list of career
opportunities.
"The scientific and technological knowledge the students gain from this
series will help them, no matter what career path they choose," said
Baumgardner. "At Donnelly, we place great importance on building a high
degree of literacy throughout the company as part of our participative
management system. Building this literacy involves much more than just
understanding the day-to-day events that affect our lives. This literacy is
what gives people the understanding and insights they need to succeed at
whatever they decide to do."
Unlike many other educational resources, Science Screen Reports are
available to schools only through gifts by corporate sponsors. An area
corporation underwrites the distribution of eight videotapes, which are
donated to the local school systems. Science teachers show the tapes to their
classes, and then the tapes are added to the school's audiovisual library for
reference or future use.
"Donnelly Corporation's sponsorship of Science Screen Reports provides
much needed resources for area classrooms," said Cindy Kleinheksel, media
specialist for the Allegan and Ottawa counties Regional Educational Media
Center. "We have over 65,000 students in our two counties, and the science
concepts covered in the videotapes enhance their learning by providing a
visual opportunity to experience the world right in the classroom."
Science Screen Reports is produced by Allegro Productions. The program
content is developed by Allegro in cooperation with the National Science
Teachers Association, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
and the Junior Engineering Technical Society.
Donnelly Corporation is an international automotive supplier dedicated to
serving customers around the globe with high-quality fabricated, molded and
coated glass products. The company has been based in Holland, Michigan since
1905, and has 5,000 employees in 11 countries worldwide. Donnelly is
recognized as a leader in the application of participative management, and was
named one of the "Top Ten" in the book, The 100 Best Companies to Work for in
America.
SOURCE Donnelly Corporation
