Duke Energy offers North Carolina teachers $75,000 for classroom STEM projects

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy is offering to help teachers develop new, engaging ways to help students reach their full learning potential.

Through a $75,000 matching gift to DonorsChoose.org, the Duke Energy Foundation is teaming up with teachers to turn classroom projects into a reality.

Here is how it works: Public school teachers can submit science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) project proposals for up to $1,000 to DonorsChoose.org, where the public can provide funding.

When 50 percent of a project's request is funded through public donations, Duke Energy will contribute the remaining 50 percent. The match is available for STEM projects in public schools across the company's North Carolina service area.

"Bringing STEM to life through hands-on projects is one of the best ways to foster a growing passion for STEM careers and industries," said David Fountain, Duke Energy's North Carolina president.  "We appreciate the dedication of our teachers and are proud to continue our partnership with DonorsChoose.org to get resources directly into the classroom."

"We are so grateful for the continued support of Duke Energy. Duke Energy has been supporting public school classrooms in North Carolina through DonorsChoose.org since 2006, making them one of our most faithful supporters," said Mykal Urbina, partnership manager, DonorsChoose.org. "This spring, we anticipate this grant will support over 150 classrooms, helping more than 4,200 North Carolina students receive the STEM learning materials they need."

Teachers can visit www.DonorsChoose.org/teachers to submit a project. Qualifying projects already posted to the site will automatically be eligible for Duke Energy's matching funds.

About Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation, along with employee and retiree volunteers, actively works to improve the quality of life in its communities, lending expertise in the form of leadership and financial support through grants to charitable organizations. Duke Energy has long been committed to building and supporting the communities in which its customers and employees live and work.

In North Carolina, Duke Energy Foundation invests $16 million annually for community support and charitable contributions. To learn more about Duke Energy Foundation, visit www.duke-energy.com/community.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. 

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About DonorsChoose.org
Founded in 2000, DonorsChoose.org makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need.  At this nonprofit website, teachers at half of all the public schools in America have created project requests, and more than a million people have donated $225 million to projects that inspire them. All told, 10 million students—most from low-income communities, and many in disaster-stricken areas—have received books, art supplies, field trips, technology, and other resources that they need to learn.

Visit www.DonorsChoose.org/intro to hear Oprah Winfrey and Stephen Colbert tell the DonorsChoose.org story. Follow DonorsChoose.org on Facebook, Instagram and @donorschoose on Twitter.

Media contact: Meredith Archie
Office: 919.546.2109 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy

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