Canton Boys & Girls Club Takes Top Prize In National Energy Savings Competition With ENERGY STAR®

ATLANTA, Dec. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pre-teen members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta's Malon D. Mimms unit in Canton, Ga., have been awarded first prize in the 2014 Torch Club National Project ENERGY STAR® Heroes: Be Your Own Amazing for their creative problem-solving to reduce energy consumption. Through the partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ENERGY STAR program and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), thousands of young people are learning how to reduce energy use and lower energy bills at home and in the community.

This year's Torch Club National Project was also supported by Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and incorporated The Amazing Spider-Man 2 theme. Club members were encouraged to "Be Your Own Amazing" and join Spider-Man in an effort to stop the senseless waste of energy.

Members of the Malon D. Mimms Boys & Girls Club's Torch Club, a character and leadership program for Club youth ages 11-13, created and executed a plan to reduce energy costs for Club members and their families. The Torch Club members hosted an educational day for members and parents, including a guest presentation from a local ENERGY STAR representative. They then launched a "blackout" challenge to encourage each family to devote one hour per day to no – or low – energy usage. Torch Club members learned how to track energy usage and costs online through www.energystar.gov and shared these numbers, as well as ways to reduce energy costs, with their parents. This energy savings project was selected out of more than 100 entries nationally to receive the top honor, which includes a $1,700 cash award to benefit the Club, an ENERGY STAR-certified flat screen TV, courtesy of Samsung, and DVDs of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

"Educating our children about energy usage and its impact on the planet is exceedingly important, as the habits they learn now will likely continue into adulthood," said Romero Brown, National Vice President, Program, Training & Youth Development Services for BGCA. "Through the ENERGY STAR Heroes contest, our members learn critical lessons about energy savings that they can spread to their own families and communities."

The Torch Club ENERGY STAR Heroes competition teaches BGCA members across the country about energy usage and its various effects on the environment. The final entries were reviewed by a panel of judges and ranked based on project complexity and creativity, impact on other youth, participation and involvement, and adaptability for other Clubs. One first prize winner was selected, in addition to four finalists, who received cash prizes. These four finalists, include:

• Second Place – $1,000: Lil'Bosses Torch Club, Fink-White Boys & Girls Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County, California
  Lil'Bosses Power Saving Event – This project focused on saving water and using less energy, impacting the Club and community. Torch Club members used this event to educate and promote energy conservation throughout the Club and community.
• Third Place – $700: Be The Change Torch Club, Boys & Girls Club of Desert Hot Springs, Boys & Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley, California
  #GreenItUp – This was a 12-week campaign teaching Club members, parents, community and friends about the importance of energy conservation. Torch Club members facilitated energy presentations, created a pledge tree and hosted a GreenItUp party.
• Fourth Place – $600: Brave Heroes Torch Club, Boys & Girls Club of La Conner, Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County, Washington
  ENERGY STAR Puppet Pals – This puppet show was created, scripted, set-designed and acted by Torch Club members for the Club. The "puppets" taught about water conversation, recycling and saving energy.
• Fifth Place – $500: Vickers Torch Club, Jack A. Vickers Boys & Girls Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Colorado
  Be an Energy STAR: Building Awareness Among Youth – Torch Club members created an energy audit for the Club, and measured energy used and their relative costs. Members also developed an informational movie and games to inform others about energy.

Samsung also donated five TVs to merit Club winners, including the Mar Vista Gardens Branch in Santa Monica, Calif., Jim & Jan Moran Unit in Broward County, Fla., Boys & Girls Clubs of Cape Cod in Mashpee, Mass., The Youth Program at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, U.K. and Jefferson County Boy & Girls Clubs in Denver, Colo.

The ENERGY STAR Heroes program is a part of EPA's Change the World Tour, which brings public and private organizations together to make a difference in people's lives through energy efficiency. The theme of the tour is "The Power of Positive Energy" as it demonstrates how energy efficiency can be a pathway to positive change, showcasing not only the difference energy efficiency can make for individuals and communities, but also the collective difference it can make in the fight against climate change. EPA is leveraging the tour to inspire others to consider what the power of positive energy means to them and how they can make a difference.

"EPA is thrilled to work with BGCA and to have their Torch Club National Project focus on ENERGY STAR and be featured as part of our Change the World community service tour," said Jill Vohr, director of consumer marketing, EPA ENERGY STAR. "We hope these projects will inspire other Torch Clubs and the general public to engage in the opportunity of energy savings and the important issue of climate change." 

Torch Clubs are small groups within Boys & Girls Clubs that encourage positive self-esteem and personal growth; build communication skills; reinforce academic achievement; and encourage the development of conscientious citizenship. The Torch Club program's mission is to motivate pre-teens to become role models and ambassadors who promote good character, tolerance, diversity and inclusion among peers. Support from EPA enables BGCA to continue to provide training, programming and resources to help meet the needs of pre-teens at this critical stage in their development.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has changed and saved lives, enabling young people to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Boys & Girls Clubs serve nearly 4 million children and teens through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in neighborhoods throughout the country and on U.S. military installations worldwide, providing a wide variety of youth development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. Key programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.

About EPA's ENERGY STAR Program
ENERGY STAR is the simple choice for energy efficiency. For more than 20 years, people across America have looked to EPA's ENERGY STAR program for guidance on how to save energy, save money, and protect the environment. Behind each blue label is a product, building, or home that is independently certified to use less energy and cause fewer of the emissions that contribute to climate change. Today, ENERGY STAR is the most widely recognized symbol for energy efficiency in the world, helping families and businesses save $300 billion on utility bills, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by two billion metric tons since 1992. Join the millions who are already making a difference at energystar.gov.

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA delivers a broad range of digital consumer electronics, IT and home appliance products. Samsung is the market leader for HDTVs in the U.S and America's fastest growing home appliance brand. To discover more of the award-winning products you love with Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 159 countries. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com/.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence. © 2014 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and LSC Film Corporation. Marvel, Spider-Man and all related character names and their distinctive likenesses: TM & © 2014 Marvel Entertainment, LLC and its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.

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SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America

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