FPL helps Florida teachers educate next generation of science leaders
Teachers can apply for grants to create projects and attend workshops at no charge; students will benefit from these and many other educational endeavors funded by FPL
By Amelia Gomez
JUNO BEACH, FL – Florida Power & Light Company today announced its education initiatives for supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning in Florida schools for the 2013-14 academic year. Specifically, teachers can now begin applying for the 2013-14 FPL Teacher Grant Program by visiting www.fpl.com/education. FPL’s Teacher Grant Program aims to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for teachers by providing funding support for energy-related education.
“STEM education is key to developing our country’s next generation of scientists, engineers and energy experts,” said Pam Rauch, vice president of development and external affairs for FPL. “Our commitment is to support and ease the bur-den on teachers by funding and developing inspiring programs that spark student creativity, interest and involvement.”
FPL’s Educational Line-Up for the Upcoming School Year
Teacher Grant Program
· All public, private and charter school teachers in FPL’s service territory are eligible to apply for grants to create and to cover costs associated with classroom projects focused on any form of energy and engineering education.
· Grants are awarded in increments of $500 up to $2,500 and the application deadline is Nov. 15, 2013.
· Winners will be announced by the end of this year.
· For more information and to apply for funds, visit http://www.fpl.com/community/learning/funding.shtml .
· This is the fifth year FPL has supported the Teacher Grant Program, which has now awarded more than $170,000 for 160 classroom projects across FPL’s 35-county service territory. The awards come from the NextEra Energy Foundation, which is funded by shareholders of FPL’s parent company, NextEra Energy, Inc., the nation’s largest producer of renewable energy from the wind and the sun.
Energy Conservation Assembly Show
· A fun and inviting 25-minute live theatre show for kindergarten through fifth grade students.
· Produced by The National Theatre for Children, “Men in Plaid: The Kilowatt Connection” will delight and entertain students with important messages about energy conservation.
· This free program is offered to public, private and charter schools throughout FPL’s service territory.
· To schedule a show, visit http://www.fpl.com/community/learning/show.shtml.
Robotics
· For the second year in a row, FPL has announced plans to sponsor the South Florida FIRST (For Inspiration and Re-cognition of Science and Technology) Robotics regional com-petition slated for the spring of 2014. The regional FIRST com-petition attracts 45-50 high school teams who create robots that perform tasks.
· In addition to using their math, science and engineering skills, students who participate in the FIRST com-petition have the opportunity to use their creativity, work in teams, utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills, manage projects, market them-selves and their robots, trouble shoot issues and manage their time in a real-world type set-ting.
· Visit FPL’s YouTube site for videos on the 2013 South Florida FIRST Robotics Competition and the FPL Robotics Showcase.
Teacher Workshops
· Teachers at schools with a photovoltaic system, or at schools scheduled to receive a system from FPL, are invited to attend full-day workshops to learn how to incorporate energy technology into their teaching plans.
· Workshops will include: presentations on how solar energy works, hands-on lessons, and renewable energy curriculum materials.
· FPL will provide a $125 stipend to attending teachers to fund their travel and meals for the day.
· Additional workshops are open to all teachers in our service territory and will be announced Oct. 1, 2013 at www.fpl.com/education.
FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit www.FPL.com.
