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UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION ROD PAIGE VISITS LIFE SKILLS CENTER OF AKRON, OHDELA AND IQ DIGITAL STUDIOS

Akron, OH – December 16, 2004 – United States Secretary of Education Rod Paige visited Akron Friday, December 10 at 8:30 a.m. to tour two area charter schools and a digital studio, all operated by White Hat Management.

“What a privilege to have the highest education political official visit two of our schools and our new studio,” said Mark Krohn, Chief Operating Officer of White Hat Management. “Secretary Paige and President Bush have fundamentally reshaped how education is delivered. We couldn’t be more honored.”

Secretary Paige began his tour at the Life Skills Center of Akron. Life Skills Centers are the leading high school dropout education program in America for 16 to 22-year-olds to earn a high school diploma and a job. At the center, administrator Joe Cole introduced Secretary Paige to several students and recent graduates who related their personal stories about how they came to Life Skills, why the school was so beneficial to them, and what they had been doing since graduation, including some students who went on to receive their bachelor’s degrees. The Secretary saw firsthand how dedicated and inspired teachers supported by leading technology obtained remarkable results. Parents also were on hand to share their experiences.

Following the visit, Secretary Paige commented on the Life Skills Center slogan “Education that fits your life.”

“I think in America, what we’ve done is we’ve taken varied types of life structures and opportunities that kids have now and forced it into a structure that we call the public education system…and I think this mismatch is causing havoc that we’re not dealing with. So when you say that you’re creating educational opportunities that fit the structure of the children’s lives right now, I think that’s a big, big accomplishment.”

Following his visit to the Life Skills Center, Secretary Paige visited the Ohio Distance and Electronic Learning Academy, OHDELA, a distance learning charter school educating 3,600 students across Ohio in the safety and comfort of their own homes. Secretary Paige toured the education resource center and spoke with teachers, several of whom gave demonstrations on how they leverage and use technology to communicate with parents and students and teach virtual classes.

After touring both sites, Secretary Paige noted, “I’ve been in a lot of schools, and of course we’ve got great teachers and administrators and school people all over the United States, but I’ve never seen in one place so many enthusiastic teachers and support people. And having an athletic background, I have a lot of respect for intensity and enthusiasm. Because when you get people who are enjoying what they’re doing, you have an enhanced opportunity to win.”

Finally, Secretary Paige visited iQ Digital Studios. iQ Digital Studios is a state-of-the-art digital video and streaming media production studio that produces streaming content used in training, corporate messaging and distance learning and related applications for White Hat schools and various industry clients. At iQ Digital Studios, Secretary Paige toured the studio and took time for an on-camera interview with Mark Krohn. During the interview, Secretary Paige gave his impression of the Like Skills Center, OHDELA and iQ Digital Studios.

“I think we are looking at the way education is going to be in the future,” Secretary Paige said. “If we’re smart, this is the way it’s going to be.”

When asked to summarize the Secretary’s visit, Mr. Krohn stated “I believe that the Secretary’s statements validate all the hard work, effort and incredible dedication of our teachers, administrators and support staff at every level over the last six years. We have been making a difference in the lives of students and families, but for the U.S. Secretary of Education and the face behind the No Child Left Behind Act to stand up and take notice is very gratifying.”

About Life Skills Centers

Life Skills Centers are proving to be one of the nation’s most successful programs for helping at-risk or high school dropout students ages 16 to 22 earn a high school diploma (not a GED) and a job. There are currently 24 Life Skills Centers across Ohio, Arizona, Colorado and Michigan, educating nearly 10,000 students. The tuition-free program features a proprietary curriculum that combines academics, life skills preparation and workplace training. Much of the instruction is computer-based, with state-certified teachers assisting students to learn at their own pace. The schools provide a safe, secure, positive learning environment. Over 5,000 students have already graduated with a state-recognized diploma and a job.

About White Hat Management

White Hat Management is a local company who has become Ohio’s largest operator of charter schools and the fourth largest Education Service Provider in the country. Founded in 1998 by Akron, Ohio business owner and education activist David Brennan, the company operates three types of schools: Life Skills Centers; HOPE Academies, which are community-based charter public schools for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade; and OHDELA and PDELA, which provide distance learning in Ohio and Pennsylvania. White Hat Management currently operates 40 schools in five states, which employ nearly 1,800 people and educate approximately 20,000 students.

To view Secretary Paige's on-camera interview with Mark Krohn, please click here.

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