FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SENATOR KENNEDY RECEIVES

2008 GEOGRAPHY LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

WASHINGTON—The National Geographic Education Foundation announced today that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) was one of four congressional leaders to receive its “Geography Legislator of the Year” award for 2008. The award was presented to Senator Kennedy in recognition of his commitment to promoting improved geographic literacy among American K-12 students.

Presented by National Geographic Chairman Gilbert Grosvenor, the award — in the form of a compelling photograph from the recipient’s state or district made by a National Geographic photographer, along with a citation — celebrates legislative leadership in ensuring that young Americans receive an education that prepares them to succeed in an international future by understanding the geographic realities that underlie a global economy, geopolitical instability, environmental decision-making, cultural diversity and active citizenship.

“It is heartening to see key leaders in Congress stepping forward to ensure that American students have the opportunity to acquire a world-class geography education,” said Grosvenor. “These legislators are making a vital difference in our nation’s ability to succeed in a global future by working to make high-quality geography education available for all K-12 students.”

Kennedy, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has taken a leadership role in promoting the Teaching Geography Is Fundamental Act (TGIF), introduced in the Senate as S. 727. TGIF would help to rectify the absence of dedicated federal funding for geography education by authorizing competitive grants to improve K-12 geography curriculum, teacher training and instructional materials. Geography is the only core K-12 subject under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) not to have received designated federal funding since NCLB went into effect in 2002. Kennedy and his staff have included the essentials of the TGIF legislation in their discussion draft for the reauthorization of NCLB.

A 2006 Roper Public Affairs-National Geographic study on geographic literacy found that a significant number of Americans ages 18 to 24 lack basic global knowledge. Only 40 percent of the respondents polled were able to point out Iraq on a map of the Middle East, and almost half could not locate India on a map of Asia. On a map of the United States, fewer than half could identify Mississippi or New York, even after the events of Sept. 11 and Hurricane Katrina.

The National Geographic Education Foundation was established by the National Geographic Society in 1988 and pursues a mission of “teaching people how to care for the planet, its resources, and all of its inhabitants.” The Foundation supports a national network of state-based teacher training programs called Geography Alliances. It awards some $5 million a year in innovative geography education programs, including a public-engagement campaign called MyWonderfulWorld.org to support geographic learning at home, in school and in the community.