SAN JOSE, Calif., June 20, 2008 - Cisco today announced the winners of its annual 4R Recognition Awards, which honor excellence among academies, students and instructors in the Cisco Networking Academy program, a global instructional program that provides students with information technology (IT) and networking skills.

The awards highlight the successes of the Networking Academy participants at all educational levels in four categories: Rigor, Relevance, Relationships and Results.

• Rigor recognizes academies and instructors who challenge their students to meet the demands of the Networking Academy curricula, which map to national and state standards in math, science and language arts and who encourage their students to take advantage of the articulated nature of the courses by pursuing post-secondary degrees.
• Relevance highlights academies and instructors who have helped their students to apply the skills and competencies they have learned in the academy program through participation in career development initiatives such as internships, job shadowing programs and skills competitions.
• Relationships honors academies and instructors who personalize the classroom environment to support students in achieving their career goals and objectives by building important relationships with businesses and other organizations. Such relationships extend the reach of the Networking Academy in developing the pipeline of skilled networking and IT talent needed across industries.
• Results singles out students and graduates who have used the knowledge and skills they have gained while participating in the Networking Academy to pursue career, educational and personal development success.

"The four R categories highlight the core values of the Networking Academy," said Gene Longo, senior manager, Cisco Networking Academy North American Field Operations. "By taking full advantage of the rigor and relevance of the curriculum and developing relationships that bridge into the working world and institutions of higher education, the next generation of networking professionals are able to achieve their fullest potential. We're proud to be part of that process."

The 2008 National Winners:

Rigor

Academy

• Ranken Technical College - St. Louis, Missouri

Instructors

• Douglas L. Coats - Pike High School - Indianapolis, Indiana
• David Herman - New Albany High School - New Albany, Ohio
• Kelly Caudle - Stanly Community College - Albemarle, North Carolina
• Nancy Null - Sollers Point Technical High School - Baltimore County, Maryland
• Roy Pignatiello - Euclid High School - Euclid, Ohio

Relevance

Academy

• Southwestern Illinois College - Granite City, Illinois

Instructors

• John Wardell - Heartland Community College - Normal, Illinois
• Richard Montgomery - Columbus City Schools - Northwestern Career Center - Dublin, Ohio
• Eric Ripley - Red River High School - Grand Forks Public Schools - Grand Forks, North Dakota
• Essaid Bouktache - Purdue University Calumet - ECET - Calumet, Indiana
• William E. Sarvis - Perry Public Schools - Perry, Ohio

Relationships

Instructors

• William C. Robinson - Purdue University Calumet - ECET - Hammond, Indiana
• Michael Hanson - Midlands Technical College - Columbia, South Carolina
• Don Pohl - Ranken Technical College - St. Louis, Missouri
• Thomas P. Moffses Jr. - North Florida Community College - Madison, Florida
• Richard Grotegut - Ohlone College - Fremont, California
• Stephen J. Leone - Westchester Community College - Valhalla, New York

Results

• Noah Purdy - Forbes Road CTC - Monroeville, Pennsylvania
• Andrew J. Mize - Southwestern Illinois College - Granite City, Illinois
• Cory Becker - Bellevue West High School - Bellevue, Nebraska
• Randall A. Cramer - Central Carolina Technical College - Sumter, South Carolina
• Dave Villasista - Queens College - Flushing, New York
• Darnita Holmes - Pittsburgh Job Corps Networking Academy - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Cisco Networking Academy 4R Recognition Awards program stems from a broader education initiative addressing the connection between academic rigor, relevance, relationships and results. Academic institutions, teachers and the students themselves all play an integral role in leading the positive transformation of education. Nominations were solicited from the Networking Academy community, including schools, instructors and students. A review committee made up of Cisco Learning Institute staff selected winners in each of the four categories.

For more information about the Cisco Networking Academy, visit http://www.cisco.com/go/netacad.