(NAPSA)—Educators teach, influence and inspire students to reach their full potential, but who’s inspiring them? Perhaps Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Dr. Ben Carson or retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor could inspire teachers and reinvigorate them in the classroom. Exclusive interviews from these inspiring voices are only available in the Verizon Think finity Community as a part of the Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series. Thinkfin ity.org is an online platform developed by Verizon offering free content, lesson plans (K-12) and more for teachers, parents and students. Only in the Verizon Thinkfinity Community will educators have direct access to these videos, getting commentary from these 21st century leaders who discuss the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. When “Magic” Johnson was growing up, no one thought he could succeed. He shares how he “loves to prove them wrong.” Dr. Carson, renowned neurosurgeon, was the “dumb” kid in his class, but reading and encouragement from his mother, who can barely read, changed hislife. The Verizon Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series is intended to connect educators and parents to some of the most inspiring voices. Exclusive videos also feature: *Retired Justice O’Connor, who has come up with an online education project using interac- tive games to teach civics, the rights and responsibilities of citizens and how the government works; *Jason Falls, educator and social media expert; *Dr. Chris Dede, the Timo- thy E. Wirth professor in learning technologies at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education; and others. Verizon Thinkfinity.org offers many resources, all free, including activities for parents and children, online courses and more. The Verizon Thinkfinity Community is a virtual home to engaging, thoughtful dialogue on some of today’s most challenging classroom issues. All are welcomedto join the Verizon Thinkfinity Commu- nity, free, at www.thinkfinity. org/community. The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, uses its tech- nology, financial resources and partnerships to address critical social issues. More information is available at www.verizonfoun dation.org.
