ANJEE and PSEG Announce Sustainability Grant Awardees

NEWARK, N.J., July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The PSEG Foundation and the Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE) have announced the recipients of their new PSEG-ANJEE Learners in Sustainability (PALS) grant program. A total of nearly $45,000 will be provided to three partnerships that were selected through a competitive application process. Each of the partnerships is a collaborative effort between non-formal environmental education providers and K-5 pre-service or practicing teachers, with an eye toward increasing the sustainability of New Jersey communities.

"One of ANJEE's and PSEG's major goals for the PALS grant program is to create unique partnerships between formal and non-formal environmental educators – the kind that will result in environmental education of the highest quality," said ANJEE President Dale Rosselet. "The response to our Request for Proposals made it clear that many schools and organizations in New Jersey share that very same goal."

New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for science will be integrated into the projects. Lead partners from each organization or school district will participate in professional development provided by ANJEE; topics will include program evaluation and authentic assessment – the assessment of student learning using a real-world situation or task to allow students to demonstrate what they have learned and the skills they have acquired. Grantees will also attend the annual ANJEE Environmental Education Conference in 2012, and present the results of their projects at the 2013 conference.

ANJEE – North

Tenafly Public Schools, Bergen County ($14,943)

In partnership with the Tenafly Nature Center (TNC), Tenafly Public Schools will train teams of teachers from its four elementary schools in specific science content, with each team representing grades one, two and five. Working closely with the District Science Supervisor, Elementary Staff Developer and Assistant Superintendent, TNC will provide instruction within the school district and at the nature center. The participating teachers' classrooms will become "living labs" that model effective science instruction, and curricular units will be implemented by grade levels:  Animal Adaptations (First Grade), Plant Ecology and Diversity (Second Grade) and Environmental Sustainability (Fifth Grade). The teachers selected for this project will share their knowledge.

ANJEE – Central

Princeton Regional Schools, Mercer County ($14,921)

The Princeton Sustainable Schools Project will focus on energy conservation and sustainable energy practices to help elementary schools reduce energy usage. Workshops and lessons will be provided for elementary science specialists, classroom teachers and other school staff. A new partnership will be developed with Global Learning Inc., a nonprofit organization that engages the education community in solutions to real-world environmental challenges. In cooperation with Global Learning, participating teachers will develop new curricular materials on sustainable energy practices that illustrate the relevance of science and math. A second project partner, Sustainable Princeton, is a community-wide effort that dedicates itself to sustainable development. They will expand their current relationship with Princeton Regional Schools by disseminating information on efficient energy use and energy reduction practices beyond the school community.

ANJEE – South

Educational Information & Resource Center (EIRC), Gloucester County ($15,000)

EIRC will recruit teams of teachers from grades K-5 at various locations throughout the state to participate in one of three geographically-based Green Schools Leadership Institutes (GSLI) and Green Education Fairs. The GSLI is a weeklong face-to-face program that helps teachers create ways to green their schools. It achieves this through teacher-based development of instructional tools, using schools and school grounds as a context for learning. On the last day of the GSLI, the community is invited to participate in an all-day "green fair" that features expert speakers, policy makers, schools that have gone green, and fun learning activities. The U.S. Green Building Council's NJ Chapter is a major partner for this project. Additional partners include the Energy and Environmental Research Center in Salem County, PrincetonGreen.org, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, the NJ Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools, North Brunswick Township School District and West Orange School District, among others.

The Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, founded in 1985. Its goals include promoting and sustaining high quality environmental education across the state and providing networking and professional development opportunities for educators in a variety of settings. ANJEE members include classroom teachers, professors and administrators in colleges and universities, environmentalists in museums, zoos and nature centers, and professionals in governmental agencies and corporate settings. For more, visit www.anjee.net.

PSEG (NYSE: PEG) has a long tradition of caring for New Jersey's people and communities. Each year, the energy company and its employees invest millions of dollars and thousands of hours to improve the quality of life in New Jersey. The company's culture dictates that service to customers and community go hand-in-hand. For more, visit www.pseg.com.

Want to know what's new at PSEG? Go to www.pseg.com/getnews and sign up to have our press releases and weekly environmental commentaries sent right to your inbox.

SOURCE Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG)