New 'Science in Action' Initiative Funds Hands-On Projects Throughout Classrooms in Arlington, Mansfield ARLINGTON, Texas, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- National Semiconductor Corporation announced a three-year commitment of $300,000 to the Arlington Independent School District (AISD) and Mansfield Independent School District (MISD) to help improve hands-on science instruction in the classroom. National's charitable foundation has pledged "Science in Action" grants of $125,000 and $75,000 to Arlington (AISD) and Mansfield (MISD) Independent School Districts, respectively. In addition to the district grants, individual teachers may apply for $100,000 in Science in Action awards to purchase resources for hands-on science projects. Winning projects also include personal recognition awards for teachers of up to $1,000. "Plain and simple, our goal is to bolster science exploration and learning. Studies show that hands-on projects in the classroom are not only interactive and fun, but they are effective in helping students learn," said Scott Kahl, human resources director for National Semiconductor's facility in Arlington. For example, student teams may use ping pong balls, oranges and flashlights to simulate orbit and phases of the moon, draw pictures of what they see and record their observations in notebooks. National's Science in Action initiative augments the company's efforts to encourage hands-on science in Tarrant County Schools. In addition to the $300,000 committed to this initiative, National has already provided over $400,000 in grants to AISD/MISD schools and teachers for enhanced science and math programs. Science teachers in MISD or AISD can visit the Science in Action website for an online application and more information at http://www.nsawards.com/. National's Arlington facility, located at 1111 West Bardin Road, manufactures analog integrated circuits for wireless handsets, laptop computers and displays. The company currently employs about 800 people in Arlington. About National Semiconductor National Semiconductor, the industry's premier analog company, creates high-value analog devices and subsystems. National's leading-edge products include power management circuits, display drivers, audio and operational amplifiers, communication interface products and data conversion solutions. National's key analog markets include wireless handsets, displays and a variety of broad electronics markets, including medical, automotive, industrial, and test and measurement applications. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, National reported sales of $1.91 billion for fiscal 2005, which ended May 29, 2005. Additional company and product information is available at http://www.national.com/. CONTACT: LuAnn Jenkins of National Semiconductor, +1-408-721-2440, or . DATASOURCE: National Semiconductor Corporation CONTACT: LuAnn Jenkins of National Semiconductor, +1-408-721-2440, or Web site: http://www.national.com/

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