Grockit, a social network for studying and the Magic Johnson Foundation (www.magicjohnson.org), a 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity that develops programs and supports community-based organizations that address the educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities, announced today that they are working together to provide summer education opportunities to students. To ensure that each student has the opportunity to learn and get ahead, Grockit is donating 1,000 online scholarships to its Summer Enrichment Academy, an online learning program for students in grades 8-12. Additionally, students will have unlimited access to Grockit’s adaptive online learning platform including test prep. Students may apply for the scholarships now through the Magic Johnson Foundation Community Empowerment Centers and the Magic Johnson Foundation will determine which children are eligible.

Students experience a serious degradation of knowledge called “summer learning loss” when they do not engage in educational activities during the break between the school year, and the Summer Enrichment Academy helps students avoid this. Through the application of social networking and online learning technology, the Summer Enrichment Academy helps make studying fun and creates an engaging way for students to master academic skills. The program is aligned to national and state education standards and allows students to study subjects such as English Language Arts, pre-Algebra, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Calculus, Probability and Statistics, Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus. Grockit also provides test prep programs for standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, GRE and GMAT, with more to come.

“There is no question that students in low income areas are most significantly impacted by the summer learning loss and are at the greatest educational disadvantage,” said Farb Nivi, CEO, Grockit. “We believe that every student has the right to a good education and that this is the best way to set a young person on a path to a productive future, which is why we are pleased and honored to work with the Magic Johnson Foundation. We applaud the work they do on a daily basis to help bring education opportunities to the communities they serve.”

The Magic Johnson Foundation, a nonprofit public charity that develops programs and supports community-based organizations that address the educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities, created Community Empowerment Centers to provide ethnically diverse urban communities access to resources and programming that educate, empower and strengthen individuals though the innovative use of technology. The first technology center was launched in Los Angeles in 2001. There are currently 18 Community Empowerment Centers located in 15 urban markets and the rural market of South Carolina.

“Education is the key to a successful future and we strive to impart the importance of learning in every child we serve,” said Towalame Austin, President, Magic Johnson Foundation. “Grockit’s Summer Enrichment Academy is an important tool in helping to combat the uphill battle that students in low income communities already face in education. We are grateful for the scholarships they are providing and look forward to giving our students a way to continue to learn and grow over the summer.”

About Grockit

Grockit was founded in 2007 to leverage the social benefits of the Internet, improve academic achievement and to extend learning outside of the classroom. Through the application of social networking and online gaming technology, the Grockit learning platform offers students a fun and engaging way to master academic skills and to prepare for standardized tests. The diagnostic, prescriptive and adaptive nature of the platform ensures that each student receives an individualized learning experience. Grockit was founded by Farb Nivi, a former Princeton Review Teacher of the Year and academic director at Kaplan. Headquartered in San Francisco, Grockit is funded by Atlas Venture, Benchmark Capital and Integral Capital Partners and angel investors including Reid Hoffman (founder, LinkedIn) and Mark Pincus (founder and CEO, Zynga). For more information, please visit www.grockit.com.

About The Magic Johnson Foundation

The Magic Johnson Foundation was established in 1991 as a single-disease organization that worked to raise funds for community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs. The Foundation since expanded the mission to focus on developing programs and supporting community-based organizations that address broader educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities. Learn more at www.magicjohnson.org.

Educational Program Helps Combat Summer Learning Loss in Fun, Convenient Way

Company Offers Scholarship Program to Ensure All Students Have Access to Online Academy

SAN FRANCISCO, May 19, 2010 — Grockit (www.grockit.com), a social network for studying that uses collaborative learning and develops adaptive programs for students, announced today the launch of its Summer Enrichment Academy, an online summer learning program for students in grades 8-12.  Students experience a serious degradation of knowledge called “summer learning loss” when they do not engage in educational activities during the break between the school year, and the Summer Enrichment Academy helps students avoid this phenomenon.

Through the application of social networking and online gaming technology, the Summer Enrichment Academy helps make learning fun and creates an engaging way for students to master academic skills. The program is aligned to national and state education standards and allows students to study subjects such as English Language Arts, pre-Algebra, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Calculus, Probability and Statistics, Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus.  The Summer Enrichment Academy is convenient, flexible and affordable.  It is offered online so students can participate based on their individual schedules and is only $79.99 for the entire summer if students enroll before June 15^th.

“It is no surprise that when students spend more time studying, they learn more and get higher test scores and grades.  Grockit was created to encourage students to continue their academic pursuits outside the classroom by making learning fun and collaborative,” said Farb Nivi, CEO, Grockit.  “The Summer Enrichment Academy leverages these principals by allowing students to take advantage of the summer months while studying with peers in a very fun and convenient way – wherever they are, and whenever they feel like it.”

On average, students lose 2.6 months of grade-level equivalency in mathematical computation skills and almost as much in reading skills over the summer break.  Research shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of summer vacation.

“Summer learning loss is a real problem for students in this country and collectively puts them at an educational disadvantage compared to the rest of the industrialized world,” said Mark Bielang, superintendent of Paw Paw Public Schools and president of the American Association of School Administrators. “Summer learning programs such as Grockit’s Summer Enrichment Academy allow students to retain the knowledge they have gained during the school year and position them for continued learning and growth.”

The Summer Enrichment Academy offers:

• Quick and Comprehensive Online Diagnosis – Parents can quickly diagnose their child’s academic strengths and weaknesses from automatically-generated reports pinpointing their child’s academic strengths and needs by specific skill.
• Customized Curriculum – With just a few clicks parents can create a customized curriculum that will focus on the skills their child needs to work on most and further challenge them in the skills in which they excel.
• 24/7 Access to Grockit Group Study – Here students practice with, learn from, and compete with up to 100,000 motivated students using live chat.
• 24/7 Access to Grockit Independent Practice – Students can work independently answering questions against the clock. After each session and for the entire summer students have the opportunity to review the questions they got wrong with a detailed expert explanation.
• Instructor-Led Lessons – Students can work with the highest rated Grockit instructors in live online groups and one-on-one classes for an additional fee, but a fraction of the cost of traditional offline tutoring.
• Detailed Progress Reports – Each month parents will receive a report of their child’s activity, their progress, and a detailed view of their academic strengths and weaknesses by specific skill.

Grockit is offering scholarships for the Summer Enrichment Program for students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program.  As low-income children experience significantly greater summer learning losses than their higher income peers, Grockit wants to ensure that each student has the opportunity to get ahead and learn. For more information on the scholarship program please visit: http://grockit.com/summeracademy/scholarship

About Grockit
Grockit was founded in 2007 to leverage the social benefits of the Internet, improve academic achievement and to extend learning outside of the classroom. Through the application of social networking and online gaming technology, the Grockit learning platform offers students a fun and engaging way to master academic skills and to prepare for standardized tests. The diagnostic, prescriptive and adaptive nature of the platform ensures that each student receives an individualized learning experience. Grockit was founded by Farb Nivi, a former Princeton Review Teacher of the Year and academic director at Kaplan. Headquartered in San Francisco, Grockit is funded by Atlas Venture, Benchmark Capital and Integral Capital Partners and angel investors including Reid Hoffman (founder, LinkedIn) and Mark Pincus (founder and CEO, Zynga). For more information, please visit www.grockit.com.

Round Led by Atlas Venture with Participation from Existing Investors Benchmark Capital and Integral Capital Partners

SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2010 — Grockit (www.grockit.com), a social network for studying that uses collaborative learning and develops adaptive programs for students, announced today that it has completed a $7 million round of funding led by Atlas Venture. Existing investors Benchmark Capital and Integral Capital Partners also participated.

Grockit leverages the social benefits of the Internet, to improve academic achievement and extend learning outside of the classroom. Through the application of social networking and online gaming technology, the Grockit learning platform offers students a fun and engaging way to master academic skills and prepare for standardized tests. Grockit offers access to nearly 100,000 students from all over the world that members can practice with in online study groups 24 hours a day.

“It is widely accepted that digital media is an important tool for the future of education and we are committed to bringing this to students everywhere in a fun, accessible way,” said Farb Nivi, founder and CEO, Grockit. “The team at Atlas Venture shares our passion for the market and understands the importance of social media in education. I’ve known Jeff Fagnan at Atlas, and the entrepreneurs they have backed, for many years. Having the Atlas team lead this round is about bringing on the right investor at a really exciting time for Grockit. Their involvement will support the continued growth of Grockit as we build out the executive team and truly scale the company.”

“I have known Farb for years and have been continually impressed with his passion for education and his understanding of how technology can improve education today,” said Jeff Fagnan, partner, Atlas Venture. “The Grockit team has built a sophisticated technology platform that can make a meaningful impact on the way students learn everywhere.”

About Grockit
Grockit was founded in 2006 to leverage the social benefits of the Internet, improve academic achievement and to extend learning outside of the classroom. Through the application of social networking and online gaming technology, the Grockit learning platform offers students a fun and engaging way to master academic skills and to prepare for standardized tests. The diagnostic, prescriptive and adaptive nature of the platform ensures that each student receives an individualized learning experience. Grockit was founded by Farb Nivi, a former Princeton Review Teacher of the Year and academic director at Kaplan. Headquartered in San Francisco, Grockit is funded by Atlas Venture, Benchmark Capital and Integral Capital Partners and ange