Jan. 27, 2004

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SAN DIEGO - San Diego State University Athletics Director Mike Bohn, along with Aztec baseball coach Tony Gwynn, Aztec softball coach and Senior Women's Administrator Kathy Van Wyk, women's soccer player Erica Lopez and other student-athletes will join Los Penasquitos Elementary 5th grade students and Poway Unified School District Deputy Superintendent John Collins and Charlie Garten, Executive Director of Information Support Services, Dan Butterly, Associate Commissioner of the Mountain West Conference and Principal Damen Lopez in an interactive classroom demonstration of Kid's College on Thursday, January 29 at Los Penasquitos Elementary School at 10 a.m. Kid's College is the Mountain West Conference's Education Initiative.

Fifth-grade students at Los Penasquitos have been utilizing Kid's College software, an internet-based education program, since the beginning of the school year as a fun and challenging educational classroom aid. Kids' College assists teachers in improving test scores by motivating students through the use of popular sports games with Mountain West Conference teams and team mascots. The software is a product of Learning Through Sports, Inc. and teachers throughout California can register for the free program at www.learningthroughsports.com. Los Penasquitos Elementary is just one of the schools in the Poway School District utilizing the program. Poway was the first school district within the Mountain West Conference to implement the extended version of the program and to have district-wide involvement.

"The Kid's College program may be the single most important initiative that the Mountain West Conference has undertaken because it combines education and a phenomenal public relations campaign," said Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson. "It will be interesting to track its progress and the anticipated growth."

The educational curriculum in the program correlates to California state standards, is age appropriate and focuses on language arts, math, reading and character. The program enables children to enroll, take classes and earn diplomas upon successful completion of the material.

"The Kid's College program may be the single most important initiative that the Mountain West Conference has undertaken because it combines education and a phenomenal public relations campaign." -- Craig Thompson, MWC Commissioner

Included in the program are: math and language questions that correlate directly to California standards for K-8 grades. Real-time reporting allows teachers to track student progress. Multi-level game format allows students to unlock exciting new plays, players and stadiums as questions are answered correctly. Racially diverse "role-model" coaches provide directions and tips throughout the program.

The program is available in both English and Spanish and a CD-ROM version of the program is available at the retail level for home use.

"This initiative complements San Diego State's longstanding commitment to community involvement and service to local schools and their students, teachers and staff," said SDSU's Bohn. "It's great to see how a child's love for sports can be used to spark their love for learning. Our coaches, staff and student-athletes are proud to be affiliated with this program and see it take root in our community."

Los Penasquitos Elementary School is a California Distinguished and National Blue Ribbon School. The school community at Los Penasquitos is committed to the success of every child. Everyone, students, teachers, parents and staff are held to the highest standards of performance. Everyone is treated with courtesy and respect and the learning environment is geared to meeting the individual learning needs of each child. Academic achievements are carefully analyzed, goals set, and targets met. "Both of my children attended Los Penasquitos Elementary School," said a parent. "The school holds the highest expectations for its students when it comes to academic performance and it shows."

San Diego State University, one of the eight members of the Mountain West Conference, is the oldest and largest institution of higher education in the San Diego region. Founded in 1897, SDSU offers bachelor's degrees in 79 areas, master's degrees in 67 and doctorates in 14. SDSU's nearly 34,000 students participate in academic curricula distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information log on to www.sdsu.edu.

The Mountain West Conference Education Initiative, launched in August 2003, utilizes the platform of college athletics to provide teachers with a relevant educational resource in teaching K-8 students. The initiative also includes radio and televised public service announcement promoting education and academic achievement, and an extensive public relations campaign to promote the initiative. The conference has made the program available to every elementary school across the six-state MWC region, impacting more than 6.5 million students.