Discovery Education Personalities Shine the Spotlight on Digital Science Education at FETC 2011 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Stephen Wakefield, Discovery Education 240-662-2893 stephen_wakefield@discovery.com Emily Embury, C. Blohm & Associates 608-839-9800 emily@cblohm.com –Discovery Channel`s Storm Chaser Reed Timmer Named as Featured Speaker for Opening Session– –The Rise and Impact of Digital Content Featured in Spotlight Presentations by Discovery Education Executives Scott Kinney, Hall Davidson, and Steve Dembo– –Drawing to Win Once-in-A-Lifetime Opportunity to Meet the MYTHBUSTERS will close FETC 2011 Conference– Silver Spring, Md. (Jan. 20, 2011) Headlining a robust presence by Discovery Education, Reed Timmer, meteorologist and extreme weather enthusiast from Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers will keynote FETC 2011’s Opening Session on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 3:30 p.m EST. During his remarks, Timmer will discuss how his passion for tracking extreme weather was shaped by his science education. In addition, companion digital content about the causes and impacts of weather will be made available to educators at DiscoveryEducation.com/Reed-at-FETC. Discovery Education is the proud platinum sponsor of FETC 2011. The Florida Educational Technology Conference (FETC) will take place Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2011, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. For more information about FETC, visit www.fetc.org. Timmer’s first official storm chase was at the age of 13, when he intercepted a severe storm in his front yard and was pelted by golf-ball size hail that destroyed his family’s video camera. Ever since that day, he’s been obsessed with extreme weather and storm chasing. Timmer pursued this passion by studying meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. After documenting a massive F5 tornado that struck Moore, Okla. on May 3, 1999, Timmer became even more obsessed with extreme storm chasing. Since then, he has driven over 50,000 miles every year from the Mexican Border to Canada, and has captured more than 200 tornadoes on film. In addition to storm chasing year-round, Timmer is currently working toward a doctorate in meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. “Discovery Education is excited to present Reed Timmer as the 2011 FETC Opening Session Keynote speaker,” said Coni Rechner, vice president, Discovery Education. “Just as Discovery Education brings the world to classrooms through digital content, we are excited to present FETC attendees this line-up of experts in both science and educational technology.” In addition to Timmer’s keynote, various Discovery Education executives with decades of experience in educational innovation will share their perspectives on the nationwide rise of digital content as a core instructional resource. On Feb. 3, senior vice president of global professional development, policy & education outreach Scott Kinney will make an address entitled Beyond the Book, explaining the forces driving the replacement of textbooks with digital content. Also on Feb. 3, Hall Davidson, director of the Discovery Educator Network, will conduct a whirlwind tour of the many digital resources educators can use right now to engage students in learning. Steve Dembo, director of social media strategy and online community, will also make addresses throughout FETC on a variety of topics, including using Web 2.0 tools and mobile devices in classroom instruction. Finally, Discovery Education will be presenting the final keynote session, which will include a message from Kari Byron of the MYTHBUSTERS, some inspirational comments from Hall Davidson, and a chance to win a visit to see the MYTHBUSTERS on location as they tackle science in a fun and engaging way. Full details on all of these sessions can be found DiscoveryEducation.com/Reed-at-FETC. Discovery Education is the leading provider of high-quality curriculum-based digital content and professional development resources whose services are available in more than half of U.S. schools. For more information about Discovery Education, visit www.discoveryeducation.com. About Discovery EducationDiscovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) revolutionized television with Discovery Channel and is now transforming classrooms through Discovery Education. Powered by the number one nonfiction 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. ###