JCP&L Announces Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Classroom Grant Winners

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Dec. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Eighteen New Jersey teachers, representing 16 educator-submitted projects, have been awarded Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) classroom grants totaling more than $13,000 from FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE).  The grants will be used for a variety of hands-on projects, workshops and academic programs across Jersey Central Power & Light's (JCP&L) service area.

The grant winners, their schools and projects are:

• Dinean Batchelder, North Dover Elementary School, Toms River – Sustainable energy expo
• Brianne Betz, Beachwood Elementary School, Beachwood – Engineering design unit
• Frank Cole, Ocean Township High School, Oakhurst – Inquiry-based chemistry experiments
• Danielle DeCarolis, Belmar Elementary School, Belmar – Design a city and create a power source
• Sarah Dunne, Veterans Memorial Middle School, Brick – Design and build alternative energy sources using K'nex®
• Pamela Fellner, Franklin Township School District, Washington – Making electrical circuits
• Denise Glenn and Phil Moskowitz, Eisenhower Middle School, Succasunna – WATTS-UP?  How vampire power users steal energy
• Tonya Hassel, Hope Academy Charter School, Asbury Park – How to build and use a weather station
• Jim Hasten, Florence Burd School, Newton – Wind turbine project
• Mariel Kolker, Morristown High School, Morristown – Learning about semiconductors
• Heather Laird, Midtown Community Elementary School, Neptune – Lightening the energy load through alternative energy
• Carolyn McLain, Alexander Hamilton School, Morristown – Clean energy generation – wind power
• Gary Paxton, Lake Riviera Middle School, Brick – Renewable energy for a sustainable future
• Patrice Picard, Morristown Neighborhood House Preschool, Morristown – Get on track with STEM – It's Electric
• Crystal Policastro and Virginia Shenck, Ridgeway Elementary School, Manchester – A variety of STEM projects
• Erin Sugrue, Herbertsville Elementary School, Brick – STEM students garden for hunger

"JCP&L and FirstEnergy have long supported educational activities, particularly those that encourage students to pursue careers in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics," said Jim Fakult, president of JCP&L.  "We are pleased to provide assistance to several STEM projects this year that support our students, schools and educators as they work to help build a strong workforce for the future."  

FirstEnergy offers grants of up to $1,000 to individual teachers and administrators at schools served by its electric utility operating companies and in communities where it has facilities.

Grants recipients are recommended by local educators who make up FirstEnergy's Educational Advisory Council.  As part of the program, recipients must furnish a written summary and evaluation of their projects that can be shared with other educators in FirstEnergy's service area.

JCP&L is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy.  JCP&L serves 1.1 million New Jersey customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren.  Follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL, or online at www.jcp-l.com.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.  The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, while its generation subsidiaries control nearly 17,000 megawatts of capacity from a diversified mix of scrubbed coal, non-emitting nuclear, natural gas, hydro and other renewables.  Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

Editor's Note:  A photo of the check presentation to Morristown Neighborhood House Preschool is available for download on Flickr.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

Related Links

http://www.firstenergycorp.com