FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Centervention Receives Phase II SBIR Award from the National Science Foundation to Develop an Online Social and Emotional Skills Game for Students in Kindergarten and First Grade
Durham, North Carolina, March 31, 2019 — Centervention®, the leading provider of game-based, social and emotional learning programs has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) SBIR Phase II award of $749,880 to develop an online social skills game for students in Kindergarten and first grade.
Every year, 4.3 million children across the United States start Kindergarten, but 50% of these children fail to make a smooth transition and nearly 20% experience serious difficulties. Children from vulnerable, underserved social niches are particularly likely to be less ready for school, including those who experience poverty, family instability, trauma, and involvement in the child welfare system.
“We are grateful for the support from the National Science Foundation to advance our mission to help all children succeed in the classroom and in life,” said Tim Huntley, CEO at Centervention. “And with this program, Zoo Academy, we will have a tool to help young learners get the head start they deserve.”
Jim Thomas, CTO at Centervention and Principal Investigator for the grant adds, “With the funding from this award, we will complete research and development for 24 game scenes, and during the next school year, we will work with thousands of educators across the country to ensure Zoo Academy is an effective program for addressing the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of all students.”
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ABOUT Centervention
Centervention® is the leading provider of online programs that help students in grades K-8 improve social and emotional skills. These games are fun for students, automatically gather data so educators can monitor progress, and include supplemental lessons to reinforce learning. With Centervention, educators meet students where they are, address their unique needs, and do so in an engaging, effective way. To learn more, visit Centervention.com and follow us on Twitter at @Centervention.
ABOUT the NSF’s Small Business Programs
America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $1.5 million in non-dilutive funds to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.1 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. For more information, visit seedfund.nsf.gov.
CONTACT:
Tim Huntley
Centervention
(919) 535-5065
tim@centervention.com
www.centervention.com