FPL powers STEM education for Florida students

JUNO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for the new school year, Florida Power & Light Company has expanded its innovative education programs to include STEM subjects -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

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To help support teachers and students, FPL has partnered with Adopt-A-Classroom to offer a matching donation to 500 classrooms in FPL's 35-county service territory. To qualify for the match, classrooms must receive at least $50 in donations through www.adoptaclassroom.org/fpl.

The company has also expanded its annual FPL Renewable Energy Teacher Grants program, which offer teachers $500 or $1,000 awards for educational classroom projects relating to energy. All teachers, kindergarten through 12th grade, in FPL's service territory are eligible to apply for the grants.

"We want to empower teachers to create exciting educational opportunities in the classroom," said Pam Rauch, FPL Vice President of External Affairs. "FPL strives to support dynamic, inspiring programs based on science and math which will help to prepare students for the high-paying jobs of the future."

These funding programs complement FPL's comprehensive education initiatives supporting STEM subjects throughout the 35-county service territory including renewable energy curriculum and in-school science presentations. FPL's Teacher Workshops offer educators an opportunity for enrichment through a series of full-day seminars on renewable energy technology curriculum. Schools can also submit requests for free FCAT-based science assembly presentations by FPL's popular education characters, Captain Conservation and Professor Whys.

Adopt-A-Classroom Matching Donation

• FPL will offer 500 classrooms a $50 matching donation through Adopt-A-Classroom
• Starting Aug. 15, 2011, classrooms in FPL's 35-county service territory that receive at least $50 in donations through www.adoptaclassroom.org/fpl are eligible for a match donation of $50 from FPL

Teacher Grant Programs

• All public, private and charter school teachers in FPL's service territory are eligible to apply for grants to create classroom projects focused on any form of energy
• Grants are awarded in increments of $500 or $1,000
• Applications are available starting Aug. 10, 2011 at www.FPL.com/community/learning/solarstations.shtml
• Deadline to apply is Oct. 15, 2011, and winners will be announced by Dec. 1, 2011
• In the past two years, 90 classroom projects in FPL's service territory have received a total of $83,500 in grants

Teacher Workshops

• Teachers in FPL's service territory are invited to attend one of three, full-day workshops to learn how to incorporate renewable energy technology into their teaching plans
• Workshops will include lessons on how solar energy works, hands-on activities, and curriculum materials related to renewable energy
• FPL will provide a $125 stipend to attending teachers to fund their travel and meals for the day
• Workshop space is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis
• Upcoming workshops include:
  • Aug. 16, Jensen Beach, Fla., more information at www.regonline.com/fpl-Augjensenbeach
  • Sept. 15, Cocoa, Fla., more information at www.regonline.com/fpl-Septcocoa
  • Oct. 13, Lee County, Fla., more information at www.regonline.com/fpl-southwestfl

Professor Whys' Powerful Adventure

• FPL's school assembly program designed for fourth-grade through ninth-grade students
• Professor Whys combines original songs with science experiments to show students alternative ways of producing energy, including wind, solar and even human power
• Applies FCAT and science benchmarks outlined by Sunshine State Standards for lessons on electricity and matter
• To request a presentation, please visit the Professor Whys link at www.FPL.com/education

Captain Conservation Saves the Day

• FPL's school assembly program designed for kindergarten through third-grade students
• Captain Conservation combines original songs and audience participation to teach young students about energy efficiency
• To request a presentation, please visit the Captain Conservation link at www.FPL.com/education

Florida Power & Light Company

Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit www.FPL.com.

SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company