Scholarships to be awarded to educators
Pre-kindergarten to high school educators in the seven-county Chicago area will be awarded $750,000 in grants and scholarships through the 2008 A+ for Energy program, which recognizes innovative energy education programs in the classroom.
In addition to receiving cash grants of $5,000 or $10,000 to implement their programs, teachers will be awarded a full scholarship to attend a three-day Energy Educator Training Conference as well as a Science of Energy kit and other classroom materials valued at $500.
BP, a global energy provider, sponsors this program designed to empower teachers with resources and tools to implement creative projects that educate students about energy and energy conservation.
The Chicagoland A+ for Energy program continues its partnership with the Chicago Urban League, Museum of Science and Industry, Network of Hispanic Administrators in Education, Quad County Urban League and ABC 7 Chicago/WLS-TV.
The A+ for Energy program is available to any pre-kindergarten to high school classroom teacher in an accredited or licensed public or private school within Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties. Winners are recognized for developing creative and student-focused classroom, after-school, extra-curricular, or summer programs. While these programs must be centered on energy or energy conservation, they can move beyond science to incorporate reading, mathematics, history, geography, the arts and more.
2008 A+ for Energy winners will join the ranks of 94 Chicago area teachers that were awarded grants and scholarships in 2007.
Last year's winners are encouraged to apply for a Sustainability grant if they are interested in enhancing their current A+ for Energy project in 2008.
A+ for Energy has enjoyed unprecedented success since beginning in California in 2004, having grown to 9 locations across North America and impacting more than 411,000 students and 13,470 teachers.
"It's encouraging to know that the program is meeting its key objective, which is to impact students in a very personal way by getting them to understand that energy is a vital part of everyday life," said Irene Brown, BP America's national director of the A+ for Energy program. "We want to help students make the connection from the classroom to the real world. Partnering with teachers is essential to making this happen."
"We are excited to recognize teachers who spark creativity in their students," said Doris Salomon Chagin, community affairs director for the Chicago area. "The more we educate children about various energy options and energy conservation, the more they see their potential to make changes in the world around them. We know it will help prepare them to become responsible stewards of the environment."
Applications for the 2008 program have been mailed to all eligible schools.
Interested teachers can also find out more about the program by visiting the A+ for Energy Web site at www.aplusforenergy.org.
In addition to the online application, teachers will find valuable resources at the site, including a grant writing tutorial and links to interactive energy education tools and downloadable materials for classrooms. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online by March 7. Winners will be notified in mid-May 2008.
The A+ for Energy program is administered in conjunction with three national organizations with expertise in developing energy education curriculum aligned to national and state standards: the National Energy Education Development Project, Activities Integrating Math & Science, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.