ORIGO Education - Finalist for the 2013 AEP Awards in Education Excellence

WILMINGTON, DE, May 22, 2013 (Press-News.org) ORIGO Education is proud to announce that both of their new resources were selected as finalists for the Association of Education Publishers' 2013 Awards. ORIGO Stepping Stones and ORIGO Big Books are vying for Distinguished Achievement Awards in the subcategories of Whole Curriculum/Mathematics and Supplemental Resources/Mathematics.

The AEP Awards program, which has been in existence for over four decades, is the most prestigious and comprehensive recognition program in the learning resource community. Hundreds of entries are submitted each year, but only the top quarter reach the finalist stage. View the AEP Award finalists.

The entries are subject to a rigorous judging process consisting of three rounds of review by teachers and leading experts throughout the industry. Three key principles--quality content, age appropriateness, and innovation--drive the judging criteria and evaluation process. View AEP's quality benchmarks.

"Having a three-tiered judging process is fabulous because all of the products are fairly reviewed, but only the best of the best make it to the final round for consideration," said Eric Hamilton, Assistant Director at the American Museum of Natural History and chair of the AEP Awards Committee. "The mix of judges from all corners of the education community fosters lengthy debates about the value of the learning materials and their approach to student engagement. Each judge comes to the process from a different perspective, adding to the depth of the discussion."

The winners will be announced during the AEP Award Gala on June 4 in Washington, D.C., during AEP's Content in Context (CIC) conference.

ORIGO Stepping Stones is a new elementary core curriculum that was written from the ground up for the Common Core State Standards. It is a blended math program that includes lessons and teachers' guides on a digital platform along with printed or digital student journals. The program integrates key research findings in a practical sequence of modules and lessons to provide schools with a step-by-step approach to the new curriculum. James Burnett, ORIGO's president, remarked "We are honored that we have made it to the finalist stage for the AEP awards. This is a very exciting time for us at ORIGO, our goal is to change the way that students learn math and help them develop a deep conceptual understanding."

Becky Reister, Regional Coordinator for the Kentucky Center for Mathematics notes, "Stepping Stones is the most thorough, consistent, and developmentally appropriate curriculum. The curriculum was written to support the content and the INTENT of the standards. It is not just 'aligned,' it is directly written for the standards."

The ORIGO Big Books are beautifully illustrated, large format storybooks. Young students have a natural love for stories and for learning and the books build on that enthusiasm to help teachers introduce key mathematics concepts in Grades K-2. Each of the 36 ORIGO Big Books introduces and reinforces the essential mathematical language.

About the AEP Awards
Since 1967, the AEP Awards have promoted quality learning resources and their impact on a successful educational experience. As the most prestigious and comprehensive recognition program of its kind, the AEP Awards recognize exceptional materials across a wide range of subjects, formats, and media. Categories include learning resources for students as well as professional development materials for teachers. A rigorous review process with instructors and other education professionals serving as judges ensures that the winners meet all of AEP's established benchmarks for quality content. The AEP Awards are internationally recognized for their success in identifying exemplars of excellence that broaden horizons, foster curiosity and critical thinking, and lay the foundation for lifelong learning.

About the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP)
The only professional organization that serves the diverse needs of the entire educational resource community, the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) encourages and advocates for professional, quality content for teaching and learning. The membership of AEP represents the wide range of individuals, institutions, and businesses dedicated to delivering progressive learning resources in all media and for any educational setting. Founded in 1895, AEP now helps its members navigate the global realities of educational publishing in the 21st century.

AEP is at the forefront of the educational publishing industry, leading initiatives that help drive the future of content development and delivery. It has taken a leading role in many efforts supporting the industry, including the Learning Resource Metadata Initiative (LRMI), which is changing the way educational materials are found on the Internet; Innovation Through Inclusion, promoting industry-wide diversity; and representation of educational publishers on matters such as new legislation and funding. Through its events, publications, and recognition programs, AEP works to inform and advance the industry and to define and applaud excellence in the field.

About ORIGO Education
ORIGO Education provides customers with a complete education solution by combining an innovative range of elementary mathematics products with quality professional development. ORIGO demonstrates a commitment to excellence by creating resources that inspire and empower both teachers and students. ORIGO's new web-based curriculum, Stepping Stones, is written for the Common Core State Standards. This world-class mathematics program seamlessly blends digital and print resources with embedded professional development to develop a deep understanding. For more information, visit http://www.origoeducation.com.