DEARBORN,MI - June 26, 2008 - Engaging and educating young people is one of the many important steps needed to curb energy use in the United States, and this fall, high school teachers will have a new way to teach the subject. Ford Motor Company Fund introduced a new course today, as a part of its award-winning education program, Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) called Working Toward Sustainability. Through it, students will have the opportunity to learn about energy consumption and the related issues associated with fossil fuels, as well as the potential alternative energy sources-from solar to hydrogen to nuclear energy.

Ford PAS is an educational program developed by Ford Motor Company Fund that integrates academically rigorous, standards-based curriculum with real world applications. Created in collaboration with Education Development Center (EDC), Ford PAS is currently being used in 300 sites across 26 states. Ford PAS engages students in the areas of science, engineering, and math, while teaching key skills needed in today's workforce such as team building, creative thinking and problem solving.

"Ford is excited to introduce a learning module that is generating great interest among students and that will have a clear impact on their futures. Working Toward Sustainability is an example of how classrooms can make a "real-world" connection, in which students offer solutions to the problems we face as a country," said Cheryl Carrier, Program Director for 21st Century Education Programs at Ford Motor Company Fund.

The integrated learning of Ford PAS courses will build on students' knowledge of physical science concepts of energy storage as they use and apply them to the current political, economic and environmental concerns. Through discussions and projects that involve current, real-world issues, students become more engaged as they discover the potential application of their lessons.

Hands-on learning related to topics that young people care about has been proven to be one of the most effective ways for them to learn. Working Toward Sustainability will provide opportunities for students to learn how to read scientific documents, interpret data, and create data logs as well as work in teams.

"I am excited that Ford PAS has developed this new course on energy consumption and conservation," said Phyllis Baca of Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe, NM. "Our institution has just begun a new Sustainability Technologies Center, and having these additional tools to integrate green concepts into our teaching will help excite our students about science, while showing them that what they learn in the classroom has an impact beyond school walls."

Teachers have the ability to pick and choose from four four-week modules so that the lessons are relevant to both their curriculum and classroom environment. The first module is an introduction to the scientific concept of energy and how stored energy is released in order to fuel human activity. The other three modules can be used interchangeably and each focuses on a major science concept, such as energy transformation or photosynthesis. Teachers and schools interested in using this new Ford PAS course can download the curriculum for free at www.fordpas.org or contact a Ford PAS representative for more general program information.

About Ford Motor Company Fund

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is committed to creating opportunities that promote corporate citizenship, philanthropy, volunteerism and cultural diversity for those who live in the communities where Ford does business. Established in 1949 and made possible by Ford Motor Company profits, Ford Motor Company Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster innovative education, auto-related safety, and American heritage and legacy. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous 21st century learning experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused auto safety initiative. The Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, continues Ford's legacy of caring worldwide. Through the Volunteer Corps, salaried employees, union members, retirees and their families participate in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, visit www.ford.com.

The Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) program, created in collaboration with the Education Development Center (EDC), provides high school students with high-quality interdisciplinary learning experiences that challenge them academically and develop their problem-solving, critical thinking and communication skills. By building strong local partnerships with business and higher education, Ford PAS encourages and prepares students for success. www.fordpas.org.

Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is an international, nonprofit organization that conducts and applies research to advance learning and promote health. EDC currently manages 335 projects in 50 countries.

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 159,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, production of which has been announced by the company to be ending in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

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