FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org

(WASHINGTON, D.C.—March 21, 2007) Hayfield Elementary School, a Fairfax County public school in Alexandria, Va., has received a grant of more than $4,000 from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) to establish a program on Italian culture.

The program will be based on the life and works of Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, musician, writer, and lifelong learner who lived from 1452 to 1519. Da Vinci’s works in science, math, and art will be introduced to third grade students during the program’s first year using an interdisciplinary curriculum. Study units will be modeled after da Vinci’s work and will be introduced to the students by regular classroom teachers and the Italian teacher at Hayfield Elementary School.

In subsequent years, other grade levels will be added to the Italian cultural program.

To learn more about the NIAF scholarship, grant, and educational programs, visit www.niaf.org. For more information about the Italian culture program at Hayfield Elementary School, contact the school’s principal Barbara Vaccarella at 703/924-4500 or barbara.vaccarella@fcps.edu.

The NIAF is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., and dedicated to preserving the heritage of Italian Americans. Learn more about our programs and events by visiting www.niaf.org