Funding, Grants & Awards | News

Florida Teachers Granted $47,000 for Classroom Energy Education

• By Kevin Hudson
• 01/28/13

A group of 43 teachers from across Florida have been granted a total of $47,000 in funds for classroom energy education projects.

The grants, ranging from $500 to $2,500 each, are part of Florida Power and Light Company's (FPL) 2013 Teacher Grant program to fund classroom projects including wind turbine generators, solar car and golf cart races, and cooking with the power of the sun.

Grants are provided courtesy of the NextEra Energy Foundation, which is funded by shareholders of FPL's parent company, NextEra Energy, a producer of wind- and solar-generated energy.

The 43 grant award winning schools and teachers are:

• A.D. Henderson University School-Allan Phipps;
• Apollo Elementary School-Elizabeth Faulkner;
• Apollo Middle School-Luis Espinosa;
• Bayside High School-Naim Torlak;
• Belle Terre Elementary-Edward Wolff;
• Brevard Virtual School-Teresa Arrouet;
• Broward County Schools STEM and Instructional Resources Department-Rosina Bencivenga;
• Carrolton School of the Sacred Heart-Nancy Susana Chu;
• Coral Cove Elementary School-Barbara Grillo;
• Colonial Elementary School-Kimberly Clements;
• Deltona High School-John Clark;
• Eagle Point Elementary School-Emily Taggart;
• Gator Run Elementary School-Susan Beren;
• Heritage High School-Somer Y. Sutton;
• Heritage High School-W. Randy Lyons;
• Hollywood Park Elementary School-Eileen Santiago;
• James Tillman Elementary School-Karen Cobb;
• Jupiter Elementary School-Sherry Love;
• Jupiter Elementary School-Tonya Doughty and Christine Gayle;
• Manatee High School-Patricia Harris;
• Mariposa Elementary School-Adam Archer;
• Merritt Island High School /DaVinci Academy of Aerospace Technology-Joseph Harvey;
• Morningside Elementary School-Mollie Mukhamedov;
• New River Middle School-Barbara Humphreys;
• Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School-Marjorie Archer;
• Oasis Middle School-Lori McLain;
• Ocean Breeze Elementary School-Holly Mentillo;
• Panther Run Elementary-Nicole Williams;
• Pembroke Pines Charter High School-Lianne Haviland;
• Pinecrest Elementary School-Carlene M. Grossi;
• Rivers Edge Elementary School-Margo Barnes;
• Rivers Edge Elementary School-Matries Florio (winner of two grants this year);
• R.L. Stevenson School of the Arts-Stacey O'Connor and Tom Englert;
• Rockway Middle School-Rosa Milagros Rengifo;
• Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences-Carlos Hernandez;
• Sebastian Charter Junior High School-Cathleen Tinder;
• South Broward High School-Milijan Milos;
• South Miami Middle Community School-Susanne Banas;
• South Tech Academy-Meghan Hess;
• Wakeland Elementary School of International Studies-Edward Hashey;
• Warfield Elementary School-Lisa Knapp;
• Western High School-Chin Tang Liu; and
• Whispering Pines Elementary-Dianne Rizo and Ana Ugarte.

Project proposals submitted to FPL were judged on content, creativity, stated goals, and budget and evaluation plans. Recipients were selected by the National Education Energy Development project (NEED), a nonprofit organization working with energy companies and agencies to advance energy curriculum in American classrooms. All selected projects adhere to the Florida State Board of Education's Sunshine State Standards.

For more information visit fpl.com, nexteraenergy.com, or need.org.