FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 05.01.08

Contacts:
Stephen Wakefield , Discovery Education
240-662-2893
stephen_wakefield@discovery.com

Charlene Blohm, C. Blohm & Associates
608-839-9800
charlene@cblohm.com

Discovery Education Honored with Two 2008 BESSIE Awards

New Elementary Science Service and Established Professional Development Network Recognized

Silver Spring, MD (May 1, 2008) – Discovery Education has been honored with two 2008 BESSIE Awards from the ComputED Learning Center for Discovery Education Science for Elementary and the Discovery Educator Network (DEN).

Discovery Education Science for Elementary was awarded a BESSIE in the Best Science Website for Upper Elementary category. Released earlier this year, Discovery Education Science for Elementary is a standards-based digital resource for upper elementary school students featuring a broad array of high-impact assets covering Life, Physical, and Earth Science. An extension of the BESSIE award-winning Discovery Education Science for Middle School, these two services together offer a complete digital solution for educators seeking to improve student achievement in the sciences.

“Discovery Education is dedicated to improving student achievement in the sciences across the country. Through services like Discovery Education Science for Elementary and programs like the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, we are committed to jumpstarting student interest in science. We are thrilled to be honored with this award and are grateful to the team at ComputED Learning Center for their recognition.” said Kelli Campbell, Senior Vice President of Content and Product Development for Discovery Education.

The ComputED Learning Center also awarded the Discovery Educator Network a BESSIE for Best Professional Development Website in the Teacher Tools category. Connecting teachers both on-line and face-to-face through professional development and networking events held throughout the country, the DEN promotes teacher collaboration and the use of technology to improve student achievement. The DEN’s more than 30,000 members worldwide have provided professional development to approximately a 415,000 since its inception in 2005.

“We are very excited the Discovery Educator Network has won this award,” said Scott Kinney, Vice President of Outreach and Professional Development for Discovery Education. “I’d like to share this recognition with the thousands of educators who visit the DEN website each day. Their efforts to share tools, resources and their knowledge of incorporating digital media and educational technologies into their daily activities power the DEN website. Many teachers consider the DEN website their on-line ‘home’ and I’m pleased it has been recognized by the ComputED Learning Center.”

This is the 14th year of the Annual Best Educational Software Awards (BESSIES). The ComputED Gazette and Computer Learning Lab, San Diego’s leading computer education resource, sponsor the award program. Targeting innovative and content-rich programs and websites that provide parents and teachers with the technology to foster educational excellence, t he program selects winners from titles submitted by digital resource publishers from around the world.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Communications revolutionized television with the Discovery Channel and is now transforming classrooms through Discovery Education. Powered by the #1 non-fiction media company in the world, Discovery Education combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community in order to empower teachers to improve student achievement. Already, more than half of all U.S. schools access Discovery Education digital services. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com .