Verizon Executive To Serve As Principal For A Day at Far Rockaway High School

NEW YORK - A 1971 graduate of Far Rockaway High School in Queens who is now in charge of the human resources programs for Verizon Communications' 230,000 employees will face fewer, but more daunting challenges tomorrow.

At 7:50 a.m. he enters Far Rockaway High School where the 1,200 students at his alma mater will know him as their principal for the day.

Ezra Singer, executive vice president of human resources for Verizon, joins 1,100 other influential New Yorkers at 1,200 of the city's high schools as they participate in Principal for a Day, a program sponsored by Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning (PENCIL).

The program enables civic-minded leaders like Singer the opportunity to experience first-hand the administrative challenges principals face each day in New York City's public schools. PENCIL was founded in 1995 to encourage civic involvement to help improve the quality of education in the city.

"I am eager to have an opportunity to visit my old high school," Singer said. "I volunteered for this program because of my interest in public education and its fundamental importance to our society. "I am sure that the challenges principals and teachers face in their schools every day are often larger than those that I and other corporate executives face."

Singer attended Far Rockaway High School while he lived in the Bayswater section of Far Rockaway, where his parents, Harold and Eva Singer, reside today.

Singer will spend the first half of the day at the school working with its principal, Cheryll Cypress Jones. He then will join other Principal for a Day participants at a town hall meeting to share experiences and insights into the workings of the school.

Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 135.8 million access line equivalents and 32.5 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and 229,500 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 30 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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Media contacts:
Daniel Díaz Zapata, Verizon, 212-395-7602
Bob Bishop, Verizon, 202-515-2516
Michele Paolella, PENCIL, 212-981-5116