Schneider Electric Names Boston Public Schools Student Training Program a Runner-Up for the 2019 Bold Ideas Grant

BOSTON, Feb. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced it has named the Boston Public Schools Greenovate Boston Youth Leaders Training program as a runner-up for the 2019 Bold Ideas Grant. As part of this recognition, Schneider Electric is awarding $5,000 to Boston Public Schools (BPS).

"With the urgency of climate change and the visible power of youth leadership, globally and locally, we are honored to be recognized with this timely grant from Schneider Electric," said Katherine H. Walsh, Sustainability and Environmental Resources Manager, Boston Public Schools. "Bold Ideas such as Greenovate Boston Youth Leaders can empower youth with the knowledge, skills, and resources to lead sustainable and just change, now and in the future. We are grateful that this award from Schneider Electric will help us scale up the program to more BPS students."

Greenovate Boston Youth Leaders will train BPS students in City of Boston-specific climate change knowledge, and practice leadership skills and action planning for newly trained leaders to lead fellow students in sustainable actions at their schools. The program is a partnership between Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston Environment Department.

This Bold Idea will support the creation of new youth climate action leaders and new school-to-community partnerships. The trainings will connect students to local environmental resources, including green career connections. The students' climate action projects, guided by the City of Boston's Climate Action Plan, will transform the school buildings into healthier, greener, and more equitable living learning laboratories for students and teachers.

"We applaud the Boston Public Schools for their commitment to the environment and their focus on educating and empowering tomorrow's change advocates," said Lindsay Drisko, President, ENE Systems, a Schneider Electric Master EcoXpert™ Partner. "For nearly 30 years we have partnered with Boston Public Schools, bringing the latest technology to reduce costs and meet their sustainability goals, and we look forward to continuing that support in the future."  

Rewarding Bold Ideas
The Schneider Electric Bold Ideas contest was designed to encourage school districts to think about their vision for the future. The top bold ideas in 2019 revealed a number of key trends that districts are exploring, including a focus on STEAM-oriented facilities, the emergence of learning labs and experiential learning opportunities, and ideas that help schools engage more directly with the community at large.

"Our Bold Ideas contest is intended to inspire the advancement of student education that helps to create future-ready students who are well prepared to create change in their schools and communities," said Justin Lavoie, Vice President, Schneider Electric. "Boston Public Schools' Greenovate project is a perfect example of this commitment, and as a BPS alumnus (1992), I am proud and excited to support this initiative."

Schneider Electric is dedicated to helping schools at both the K-12 and higher ed level develop the bold ideas that will shape the future of education through energy saving performance contracts (ESPC). This project delivery method helps publicly funded entities achieve substantial energy and operational savings that can be reinvested to make capital improvements and priority advancements. In addition, these projects offer many long-term benefits such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection. Over the past 26 years, Schneider Electric has successfully implemented more than 750 ESPC projects across the nation, saving its clients more than $2.5 billion.

For more information on how Schneider Electric helps K-12 schools achieve their goals, please visit www.enable.schneider-electric.com.

About Boston Public Schools
The Boston Public Schools (BPS), the birthplace of public education in the United States, serves nearly 55,000 pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students in 125 schools. BPS is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. We partner with the community, families, and students to develop in every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in college, career, and life.

About Greenovate Boston
Greenovate is the City of Boston's program, within the Environment Department, to get all Bostonians involved in addressing climate change. Their team leads communications, events, and relationship building to make a more prepared, efficient, mobile, zero waste and connected city.

About Schneider Electric
At Schneider, we believe access to energy and digital is a basic human right. We empower all to do more with less, ensuring Life Is On everywhere, for everyone, at every moment.

We provide energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. We combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

We are committed to unleash the infinite possibilities of an open, global, innovative community that is passionate with our Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.
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