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Filmmaker Brings “The Force” to Education Reform

SAN FRANCISCO — salesforce.com Dreamforce Conference — September 18, 2007 – Renowned filmmaker and educational visionary George Lucas will speak at today’s salesforce.com Dreamforce 2007 conference as part of the keynote session. Salesforce.com Foundation, the global leader in integrating philanthropy and business, invited Lucas as part of their increased focus on innovation in education and the critical need for businesses to better support educational programs.

Lucas will share his personal passion and commitment to education and the mission of The George Lucas Educational Foundation, an organization dedicated to creating a country where innovation in education is the rule, not the exception. Since its inception in 1991, the Foundation has continued to provide leading edge interactive tools and resources for educators. Lucas will look to encourage conference attendees to more actively support education reform.

The George Lucas Educational Foundation’s award–winning Edutopia magazine, Edutopia video and Edutopia.org focus on empowering change by documenting success stories in five key areas: Through project-based learning, students learn core subject matter and basic skills through rigorous assignments that examine real-world issues. Cooperative learning suggests students collaborate to resolve conflicts to prepare them for the modern workplace. Integrated studies, in which academic subjects are presented in an interdisciplinary fashion, reflect modern knowledge and work. Utilizing the latest technology tools will improve teaching, learning and school management. Most important is the role of our teachers who coach and guide students through the learning process.

“Having Mr. Lucas speak about the need for positive change in all areas of education inspired the Salesforce.com Foundation to do the same with our corporate social responsibility programs,” said Suzanne DiBianca, executive director of the Salesforce.com Foundation. “Salesforce.com is committed to helping leverage our ecosystem of partners and customers to get more involved in supporting education reform and The George Lucas Educational Foundation.”

The Salesforce.com Foundation is dedicated to providing next generation technology to fuel innovation at nonprofits and educational institutions around the world. The George Lucas Educational Foundation and the Salesforce.com Foundation are partnering in their efforts to provide multi-media tools and technology to further the work of outstanding educators, administrators and policy-makers.

“There is no more important national priority than to bring our schools into the twenty-first century,” said Dr. Milton Chen, executive director of The George Lucas Educational Foundation. “But first we all need to modernize our thinking about how powerful teaching and learning happens. Our two foundations share a vision of providing students and teachers with the technology tools they need and encouraging collaboration between businesses, nonprofits, and schools. We look forward to sharing this vision at Dreamforce.”

Dreamforce 2007 will be held September 16-19, 2007 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. Register for Dreamforce 2007 at http://www.salesforce.com/events/dreamforce/.

About The George Lucas Educational Foundation
The George Lucas Educational Foundation, founded in 1991, is a nonprofit operating foundation that publishes media to document and disseminate the most innovative practices in K–12 education, including how technology offers many new opportunities for teaching and learning. Through its award-winning Edutopia magazine, Edutopia videos, and Edutopia.org Web site, the Foundation spreads the word about ideal learning environments and demonstrates how educators can build their own schools for the twenty-first century. To get involved, go to www.edutopia.org/support.