May 20, 2015 VIRGINIA'S YORK COUNTY SCHOOL DIVISION AND DISCOVERY EDUCATION PARTNER TO HOST THIRD ANNUAL STUDENT CODEATHON

Codeathon 3.0 Will Inspire Next Generation of Engineers, Computer Scientists and Innovators Through Dynamic, Hands-On Experiences with Coding, Programming and Videography

(Silver Spring, MD) - Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, and Virginia's York County School Division (YCSD) today announced they will partner to host the district's third annual Codeathon on Saturday, May 30, 2015 from 8:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Tabb High School. During Codeathon 3.0, over 100 YCSD students and their families will experience first-hand dynamic career opportunities in the computer science and technology fields and be immersed in hands-on activities involving coding, programming, robotics and videography.

Throughout the event, YCSD students in grades 6-8 will work in small groups to program customizable robots using Lego Mindstorm, while learning and practicing the important skills of programming and coding. Simultaneously, students will use iPads to capture video and photographs documenting their learning and will share the multimedia content they have created through Discovery Education's Board Builder. Developed with input from administrators at York County School Division, Discovery Education's Board Builder is a tool which allows students to create virtual project boards using multimedia and text to synthesize their thinking and provide evidence of their understanding of a concept or problem.

"Knowledge of coding is critically important in today's technology-rich society as it helps students develop essential skills like logical reasoning, problem solving and critical thinking," said Reginald Fox, coordinator of online learning at YCSD. "In partnership with Discovery Education, we hope to show students the incredible opportunities available to them in the computer science and technology fields and inspire their interest in pursuing these careers."

Additionally, families and members of the community are invited to attend an engaging panel session where they will learn about current computer science opportunities for students in YCSD and how the subject promotes critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. The panel discussion will feature leading experts in the fields of IT and education, including Gary Lupton, Online Learning Specialist at YCSD; Jack Bowden, Computer Science Student at Thomas Nelson Community College; Chris Dovi, Co-Founder of CodeVA; Joe Dixon, President/CIO at ZEFlearning; and Reem Jaghlit, Director of IT at Discovery Education.

"We are pleased to partner with the talented team at YCSD to support their mission of cultivating York County's next generation of technology leaders who are prepared to succeed in the global workplace," said Matt Monjan, vice president at Discovery Education. "The annual Codeathon puts students at the center of the learning process by encouraging them to not just be consumers of multimedia, but to get actively involved in creating their own new digital content and technologies."

Since 2011, Discovery Education and York County have partnered to bring digital resources to classrooms to empower teachers, enhance curriculum, and inspire students. York County students district-wide currently use Discovery Education Streaming, a comprehensive digital service supplementing instruction across all K-12 curricular areas. Resources are aligned to state standards and are searchable, and include videos, images, primary source documents, podcasts, oral interviews, audio books, articles, and more. Discovery Education's Board Builder, now available through Discovery Education Streaming, was created in response to former YCSD superintendent Dr. Eric Williams' request for a tool that empowered students to create their own content, rather than just consume it.

For more information about Discovery Education, please visit www.discoveryeducation.com.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content and professional development for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content that supports the implementation of Common Core, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 3 million educators and over 30 million students, Discovery Education's services are in half of U.S. classrooms, over 40 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world.www.discoveryeducation.com.

distributed by