CARIBBEAN LOTTERY AFTER SCHOOL ADVANTAGE PROGRAMME MAKES ISLAND ACADEMY ITS SECOND HOME

St. John’s, Antigua, June 25, 2015

Today, a newly equipped state-of-the-art computer lab was officially opened at the Island Academy. In order to assist the school to further improve its academic offerings, 20 new computers were installed and the lab refurbished through the Caribbean Lottery™ After School Advantage Programme. Since 2001, Island Academy has been fulfilling its mission of providing world-class education to a student body which represents 20 different nations.

The After School Advantage Programme sponsored by Caribbean Lottery and International Game Technology PLC, (IGT) (formerly GTECH), is the company’s signature global corporate philanthropic initiative. The Programme provides non-government agencies with well-equipped computer centres for their facilities, with a keen focus on the globalised educational development of young people aged 5-18. The Company works with more than 250 After School Advantage Centers that successfully operate worldwide.

ISLAND ACADEMY HAS A NEW COMPUTER LAB: With scissors in hand, Bernadette Sherman (right), Founder of Island Academy, officially opens the second Caribbean Lottery™ After School Advantage Centre in Antigua. Sharing in the moment are Brendan Hames, Account Development Manager of International Game Technology (IGT, formerly GTECH) Antilles Lotteries Division and Jacqueline James, Corporate Counsel & Senior Manager at Caribbean Lottery. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Island Academy in St. John’s, Antigua on Thursday, June 25. The After School Advantage Programme sponsored by Caribbean Lottery and IGT, is the company’s signature global corporate philanthropic initiative. The company opened its first centre at the Good Shepherd Home for Girls in October 2014. For each After School Advantage centre up to US$15,000 is spent on state-of-the-art computers, online technology, educational software, and employee volunteer hours.

NEW COMPUTER LAB:  On Thursday, June 25, a newly equipped state-of-the-art computer lab was officially opened at Island Academy in St. John’s, Antigua. Twenty new computers were installed and the lab refurbished through the Caribbean Lottery™ After School Advantage Programme. It is sponsored by Caribbean Lottery and International Game Technology PLC, (IGT) (formerly GTECH).  Island Academy is home to the company’s second After School Advantage Centre in Antigua, with the first being opened in October 2014 at the Good Shepherd Home for Girls. For each After School Advantage Centre up to US$15,000 is spent on state-of-the-art computers, online technology, educational software, and employee volunteer hours. The Company works with more than 250 After School Advantage Centres that successfully operate worldwide.

Island Academy is home to the Caribbean Lottery’s second After School Advantage Centre. The company opened its first centre at the Good Shepherd Home for Girls in October 2014. For each After School Advantage centre up to US$15,000 is spent on state-of-the-art computers, online technology, educational software, and employee volunteer hours.

“I am encouraged to learn that almost half of Island Academy’s students receive scholarships to attend the school. This factor, combined with a requirement for students to dedicate significant hours per year for community service, greatly influenced our decision and level of commitment to partner with Island Academy through our After School Advantage Programme. It certainly helped to know that we were choosing the right long-term partner for Caribbean Lottery’s After School Advantage Programme,” remarked Brendan Hames, Account Development Manager of IGT’s Antilles Lottery Division.

More than half of the computers in the lab were over 15 years old. Dorlan James, IT instructor at the school, noted that with the new computers he will be able to introduce new programmes that include graphic design, audio and video production.

“The computers will make a vast difference in our classroom infrastructure. I will be able to have better control of what goes on the computers from the students, the use of better antivirus and firewall programmes without the system running very slowly. I will be able to install all the latest software and this will contribute to the students’ learning experience. All that being said, the students and myself can rest assured that any work, data, assignments done on the systems would not be lost due to a system failure,” said an appreciative James.

HIGH FIVE! Brendan Hames, Account Development Manager of International Game Technology (IGT, formerly GTECH) Antilles Lotteries Division, gives a ‘high five’ to Madison Hadeed, Member of the Island Academy Glee Club. Looking on are: Jacqueline James (2^nd left), Corporate Counsel & Senior Manager and Arlene Alexander, Office Manager both from Caribbean Lottery. Occasion was the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the launch of the Caribbean Lottery™ After School Advantage Programme at Island Academy in St. John’s, Antigua on Thursday, June 25. The After School Advantage Programme sponsored by Caribbean Lottery and IGT, is the company’s signature global corporate philanthropic initiative. The company opened its first centre in Antigua at the Good Shepherd Home for Girls in October 2014. For each After School Advantage centre up to US$15,000 is spent on state-of-the-art computers, online technology, educational software, and employee volunteer hours.

 

ALL SMILES: Jacqueline James (right), Corporate Counsel & Senior Manager at Caribbean Lottery shares lens time with Bernadette Sherman (centre), Founder of Island Academy and Careisha Whyte, Island Academy, class of 2012 and Midwestern State University Scholarship Recipient. They are seen in the newly equipped state-of-the-art computer lab courtesy of The After School Advantage Programme sponsored by Caribbean Lottery and International Game Technology PLC, (IGT) (formerly GTECH).  The lab was officially opened on Thursday, June 25, with Careisha Whyte serving as the keynote speaker. Island Academy is home to Caribbean Lottery’s second After School Advantage Centre. The company opened its first centre at the Good Shepherd Home for Girls in October 2014. For each After School Advantage Centre up to US$15,000 is spent on state-of-the-art computers, online technology, educational software, and employee volunteer hours.

The Caribbean Lottery’s After School Advantage Programme is a long-term commitment, and a special efforts are made to upgrade and re-equip centres periodically. The company will continue to look for other non-governmental organizations to partner with to expand its After School Advantage program in Antigua. The Company installs a wide variety of equipment to meet the unique needs of each of its partner centers. This includes: desktops, laptops, tablets, printers, projectors and screens, and specialized educational software. Caribbean Lottery’s employees volunteer their time to equip and upgrade the computer room. It is their staff’s participation that ensures the success of the After School Advantage Programme.

Since 2011, IGT and its subsidiaries have opened and upgraded 30 After School Advantage locations in the English-speaking Caribbean. In Jamaica, there are 10 IGT After School Advantage centres. IGT in Trinidad & Tobago has made 15 donations in computer equipment, educational software, building refurbishment and employee volunteer hours to open new or upgrade existing After School Advantage centres. Caribbean Lottery and IGT have equipped one After School Advantage center in each of these locations; St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Kitts and Barbados.

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About Caribbean Lottery :

Caribbean Lottery is a trade name registered and used by Caribbean Lottery Services, Inc. and affiliates that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Providence, Rhode Island-based IGT, formerly known as GTECH. Caribbean Lottery™ is the trade name for companies under common ownership, which individually hold long-term licenses to operate lotteries in Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Caribbean Lottery has an exclusive license to operate the lottery. As a full service lottery, Caribbean Lottery operates with the highest standards of security and transparency serving lotteries in Antigua and Barbuda and in the Eastern Antilles. The company provides a full-suite of services including: product and technology development; communications channels; data storage and data center operations; financial transactional records in line with industry and worldwide best practices; and sales and marketing support.

The Caribbean Lottery has business partnerships with more than 40 retail stores across the country and made EC$3.2 million in Prize Payments to Players in 2014.

About IGT :

IGT (NYSE:IGT) is the global leader in gaming. We enable players to experience their favorite games across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Interactive and Social Gaming. Leveraging a wealth of premium content, substantial investment in innovation, in-depth customer intelligence, operational expertise and leading-edge technology, our gaming solutions anticipate the demands of consumers wherever they decide to play. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has more than 13,000 employees. For more information, please visit www.merger.igt.com.