CPS teachers awarded energy grants

An investment in a single teacher is an investment in thousands of children.

Two dozen teachers from more than 20 Chicago Public Schools earned top honors from British Petroleum and were awarded $5,000 and $10,000 grants by the energy company during a reception last week at the Museum of Science and Industry.

As part of the grant process through BP's A+ for Energy program, teachers had to develop after-school, creative classroom, extra-curricular or summer activities involving energy conservation and energy education.

"This is an exciting opportunity for our teachers to take, the lead on energy education, and for students at all grade levels to have hands-on learning opportunities," said CPS CEO Arne Duncan.

Winning entries include greenhouse to a school's Energy Nights developing a adding a campus; for the recycling a school; and North Side Kelvyn Park High School's energy bus to sponsoring community; program for be fueled with used cooking oil.

"We are extremely pleased to recognize some of Chicagoland's top teachers, whose creativity in the classroom both inspires and encourages students to be good energy consumers," said Doris Salomon Chagin, BP's Midwest community affairs director.

The financial awards will enable students to study, observe, build, convert and report on their projects with each other, their schools and their communities.

"These projects impact not just the students, but their schools and communities as well," Duncan said.

A $1,5000 scholarship was also given to the winning teachers to attend a three-day energy training conference.

"The A + for Energy program reinforces BP's longstanding commitment to quality education. We are actively engaging with, communities where our employees live and work, helping to enhance education, encourage enterprise development and promote alternative energy solutions," Salomon Chagin said.

BP doled out more than $1 million in grants and scholarships this year to Chicagoland teachers.

As the nation's third largest school system, CPS has 623 schools and serves more than 400,000 students.

[Author Affiliation]

by Kathy Chaney

Defender Stalf Writer