Staples Pledges $10 Million to Think It Up, a National Education Initiative Supporting Innovative Student and Teacher Projects

Staples and Think It Up™ Ambassador Nick Jonas announce support for Entertainment Industry Foundation’s new education movement

Loading media player...

Nick Jonas Think It Up PSA

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--()--Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPLS) is building on its decades-long support of teachers, students and education with a $10 million pledge to support Think It Up™. Think It Up, a program launched by The Entertainment Industry Foundation, is a new movement created to inspire students to pursue their passions through student-powered, teacher-led learning projects with support from Staples for Students.

As a lead donor, Staples has teamed up with multi-talented recording artist, actor and Think It Up Ambassador Nick Jonas to help raise awareness of the need to support learning projects in classrooms across the country. Jonas appears in a Public Service Announcement that was revealed today. The public awareness campaign encourages students to collaborate with their teachers on projects that will help innovate their classroom experience.

“I’m excited to serve as the Think It Up Ambassador and team up with Staples to empower students and teachers across the country,” said Nick Jonas. “Through Think It Up, we can all help students play a more active role in their education. We should all follow our passions to create our futures.”

Customers can help support Think It Up by donating at their local Staples store.

“Through our Staples for Students program, we’re thrilled to build on our rich history of supporting education by pledging $10 million to Think It Up,” said Alison Corcoran, senior vice president, North American Stores and Online, Staples. “Now more than ever, we need to support our students and teachers to spark great learning. We’re raising awareness of this new initiative and encouraging people to recognize the importance of education and support success in the classroom.”

Most teachers spend more than $400 of their own money each year to provide supplies and materials for their classrooms and many students do not have the access to the equipment or tools they need. Beginning this fall through Think It Up, students will be able to work with their teachers to identify passion projects for their classrooms. Through this collaborative learning process, student-powered, teacher-led projects will be crowdfunded on Thinkitup.org, which is fueled by DonorsChoose.org.

“We believe that the future of our country rests in the hands of our youth and we need to provide them with the tools to succeed. Think It Up is a movement designed to ignite students with excitement to discover and create impactful learning experiences with the support of their teachers. We are beyond thrilled to be able to count Staples and Nick Jonas as supporters of the initiative,” said Lisa Paulsen, president and chief executive officer of EIF.

“We are honored to be the engine that is capturing and fulfilling the passion projects students create with their teachers. At DonorsChoose.org, we know how creative students can be in the classroom. Our partnership with Think It Up and Staples for Students will provide students the access and funding for the resources and experiences they will value the most,” said Charles Best, founder and CEO of DonorsChoose.org.

Win a $50,000 Scholarship and VIP Red Carpet Experience

Starting on July 12, fans can enter the #StaplesforStudents Sweepstakes for a chance to win a $50,000 scholarship and a VIP Red Carpet Experience. Fifty lucky winners will fly to Los Angeles with a friend to attend a star-studded Think It Up event. Winners will receive a VIP package which includes walking the red carpet, front row view of celebrities as they arrive, VIP tickets to the event and VIP after-party passes. One lucky grand prize winner will win the VIP Red Carpet Experience and a $50,000 scholarship.

Fans can visit staplesforstudents.org on July 12 to learn about different ways to earn entries and increase chances of winning, including making an in-store purchase, sending a tweet, signing up for e-mail and more. Entries must be submitted before 11:59PM ET on Aug. 22 and participants must be 13 years or older.

About Staples

Staples makes it easy to make more happen with more products and more ways to shop. Through its world-class retail, online and delivery capabilities, Staples lets customers shop however and whenever they want, whether it’s in-store, online or on mobile devices. Staples offers more products than ever, such as technology, facilities and break room supplies, furniture, safety supplies, medical supplies, and Copy and Print services. Staples also offers free shipping for Staples Rewards Members, in most cases overnight. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. More information about Staples (SPLS) is available at www.staples.com.

About Staples for Students

Staples has a long history of supporting students, teachers and classrooms. Staples for Students is an ongoing program that helps students and teachers with the school supplies and essential items needed to achieve success in education. The Staples for Students campaign includes school supply drives, support for teachers in classrooms, donations for education projects, classroom initiatives such as Designed by Students, and the sale of products that give back to communities and classrooms in need. This year our partners include Think It Up, DonorsChoose.org, Me to We and Designed by Students.

About The Entertainment Industry Foundation

The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), established in 1942, harnesses the collective power of the entire industry to generate awareness and funds for critical health, educational and social issues. Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), EIF’s largest initiative, helps accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly. Since its founding seven years ago, SU2C has launched 16 collaborative “Dream Teams” comprising over 940 scientists from 123 leading institutions around the world. That research, including 151 planned, initiated or completed clinical trials, has led to Food and Drug Administration approval of two new treatments. In just 15 months, Hunger Is, EIF’s collaboration with The Safeway Foundation, has significantly raised awareness of childhood hunger in the United States and over $10 Million to support breakfast, afterschool and out-of-school meal programs.

About DonorsChoose.org

Founded in 2000, DonorsChoose.org makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need. Teachers at over 60 percent of all the public schools in America have created project requests, and more than a million people have donated $330 million to projects that inspire them. Over 14 million students -- most from low-income communities, and many in disaster-stricken areas -- have received books, art supplies, field trips, technology, and other resources that they need to learn.

About Nick Jonas

Island Records Artist, Nick Jonas introduced himself as a fully formed solo artist on his hit self-titled debut, released in November 2014. The critically-acclaimed album includes double-platinum smash single and #1 U.S. radio hit, “Jealous” and his sultry second chart-climbing radio single, “Chains.” Jonas attributes his album’s darker overtones partially to the fact that while he was recording, he was also shooting the gritty television show ‘Kingdom’ — a mixed martial arts drama that premiered on DirecTV's Audience Network last fall and was recently picked up for two additional seasons. Jonas recently earned two more high-profile roles, a guest starring role in Fox's upcoming horror-comedy series, ‘Scream Queens’ and a lead in the James Franco produced film, ‘Goat’. Showing no signs of slowing down this year, the breakout solo powerhouse joined forces with west coast rapper-producer Sage the Gemini to release their summer collaboration, “Good Thing” and in partnership with Island Records, Demi Lovato, and long-time manager, Phil McIntyre, Jonas helped launch his own artist-centric record label, Safehouse Records. This fall, Jonas will embark on the NICK JONAS “LIVE IN CONCERT” TOUR, which kicks off September 6 in Hershey, PA. The tour will feature special guest Bebe Rexha and make stops in 19 cities across the U.S. and Canada with dates in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago and San Francisco with special guest.

Contacts

Staples, Inc.
Kristine Houston, 508-253-8468
Kristine.Houston@Staples.com
or
Carrie McElwee, 508-253-1405
Carrie.McElwee@Staples.com

Contacts

Staples, Inc.
Kristine Houston, 508-253-8468
Kristine.Houston@Staples.com
or
Carrie McElwee, 508-253-1405
Carrie.McElwee@Staples.com