Green Education Foundation (GEF) and National Grid Announce The Winners of the Power of Action Art Contest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 21, 2011 -- Johnston, Rhode Island, April 2011—Hundreds of students submitted their entries to Green Education Foundation (GEF) for National Grid’s Power of Action art contest this month. The contest called on elementary school students from across New England to showcase their ideas on how people can work together to protect the planet. The winning design is featured on the t-shirts being worn by hundreds of National Grid employees during the company’s Earth Day clean-up efforts across the region.

After thousands of votes from National Grid employees, Nikolos Pinto, a fourth-grader from Winsor Hill School of Johnston, Rhode Island, was chosen as the New England winner. The Winsor Hill School will receive a $250 cash award for school supplies and t-shirts featuring the winning design. In addition, the entire class will showcase their t-shirts at Fenway Park when the Red Sox face the Seattle Mariners on April 29 during the National Grid-sponsored Earth Month celebration game.

“The Power of Action t-shirt design contest provided an educational, yet fun and creative way, for students to learn how we can all work together to protect the planet’s valuable resources,” said Donna Pringle, a fourth-grade art teacher at Winsor Hill School. “The kids were just thrilled to learn that one of their peers won the contest and they will all get to celebrate at the Earth Month Red Sox game.”

“National Grid is proud to see students, like Nikolos, his classmates and everyone who entered, are thinking about the environment in such a positive way and how the decisions they make will impact the future,” said Tim Horan, regional president, Rhode Island, for National Grid. “Nikolos’s artwork will, undoubtedly, inspire us all as we help clean up the communities in which we live and work over the next couple of weeks and is an excellent example of what happens when we use the power of action.”

Jackie Jenkins from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School of Utica, New York was voted the New York winner, which had a similar contest for that region. Runners-up include: Toni Alvarado, Nikos Casivant, Hailey Hurrell, Annie Cunningham, Adam Melendez and Franchesca Sanchez-Romero. All participants who submitted art entries will receive a Green Keeper Certificate of Appreciation in honor of their contributions.

The Green Education Foundation (GEF) and National Grid partnered in 2010 to launch the Power of Action contest as a creative approach to kids coming up with their own solutions to solve environmental challenges through art. National Grid also sponsors GEF’s Green Energy Challenge with nearly 300,000 schools participating nationwide. The Green Energy Challenge is the largest school-based energy efficiency campaign to-date coupling sustainability lessons with hands-on audits. The Green Energy Challenge is free! Visit www.GreenEducationFoundation.org to enroll today.

###

What is Sustainability Education?
Sustainability education is an integrative teaching model that connects student knowledge of environmental, economic, and societal systems with real-world applied learning strategies. Sustainability education develops the 21st century skills, vision and habits necessary to build a sustainable future.

About Green Education Foundation (GEF)

Green Education Foundation (GEF), a non-profit organization, is committed to creating a sustainable future through education. GEF provides curriculum and resources to K-12 students and teachers worldwide with the goal of challenging youth to think holistically and critically about global environmental concerns and solutions. GEF’s National Green Week mobilizes millions of students each year to participate in eco-challenges that empower school communities to achieve measurable and sustainable goals in waste reduction and energy and water conservation. For more information visit: www.GreenEducationFoundation.org

About National Grid

National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.

Press inquiries, please contact:

Green Education Foundation (GEF) – Dan Kobialka, 888-668-2298, dkobialka@GreenEducationFoundation.org

National Grid – Elizabeth Margulies, 516-545-5052 E: Elizabeth.margulies@us.ngrid.com

education     environment     green     Green Education Foundation     National Grid     Power of Action     sustainability     sustainability education