Green Education Foundation's (GEF) Green Energy Challenge is off and running with nearly 300,000 students participating nationwide. GEF is mobilizing thousands of K-12 schools to participate from across the country in the largest school-based energy efficiency campaign to-date, coupling environmental lessons with hands-on audits.

The Green Energy Challenge program, sponsored by National Grid, calls on students to audit their classrooms, schools and homes to find energy leaks and correct them in an effort to reduce utility costs and help the environment. Participating schools will research past bills and implement comprehensive yet simple changes in an effort to reduce associated costs during the school year. Results will be posted on GEF's website on Earth Day (April 22), 2011.

"National Grid is committed to giving back to the community and preserving the environment. The Green Energy Challenge is an effective way to teach students and families simple techniques that can save money, while also jumpstarting a commitment for environmental learning," stated Loretta Smith, Director US Corporate Citizenship for National Grid. "This program supports National Grid’s Engineering Our Future initiative, designed to inspire youth to pursue science, technology, engineering and math skills," she added.

Audit checklists and energy experiments for all grade levels accompany the program. GEF's comprehensive online curriculum library provides standards-based lessons, activities and projects that are easily incorporated into science, math, language arts, social studies, and creative arts curricula.

GEF will be tracking participating schools green energy efforts and spotlighting their results via GEF's Green Energy Challenge website: www.greenenergychallenge.us. Following are three elementary schools that will be among those spotlighted: the Charter School for Applied Technologies in Buffalo, NY; Squantum Elementary School in Quincy, MA; and Old Country Road School in Esmond, Rhode Island. "The Green Energy Challenge is an effective way for Squantum Elementary School's student council to educate the school community on simple measures that can add up to big savings - not only for the environment, but in utility costs," commented Squantum Elementary School principal Steve Sylvia.

Educators participating in the Green Energy Challenge have access to a multitude of prize giveaways; Old Country Road School in Esmond, Rhode Island, already won an assortment of eco-books and green kits by committing to a six month energy education program. "We are very excited to engage our students in this hands-on sustainability program," commented Principal Laurie Sullivan, we will also be encouraging our students to take home what they learned in an effort to reduce their family's energy costs over the winter."

The Green Energy Challenge is free! Schools and youth groups are urged to register now to receive a Green Energy Challenge eco-kit, visit www.GreenEducationFoundation.org to enroll today.

GEF offers the opportunity to visit schools participating in the Green Energy Challenge. For more information, please contact: Dan Kobialka P. 888-668-2298 E: dkobialka@greeneducationfoundation.org.

Sustainability Education (SE)
Sustainability education (SE) is an integrative teaching model that connects student knowledge of environmental, economic, and social systems with real-world applied learning strategies. SE develops the 21st century skills, vision and habits necessary to build a sustainable future. It encompasses environmental education, a longstanding discipline, within the context of broader concepts such as global populations, climate change, and green building.

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. Visit www.GreenEducationFoundation.org to learn more. 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 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.

National Grid

National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a path to a more affordable, reliable clean energy future through our fossil-free vision. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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