PRNewswire/ - Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) won Public Affairs Campaign of the Year in the 2011 American Business Awards(SM) for its ongoing advocacy of expanding access to pre-kindergarten programs in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Entergy received a Stevie® Award in the Communications/PR Campaign of the Year- Public Affairs during ceremonies Monday in New York City.

Entergy has long been a proponent of education, but it began focusing more of its efforts on improving pre-kindergarten programs in 2001 as part of an overall fight against the region's endemic poverty. Fifteen of the 30 poorest counties in the nation are in states served by Entergy utilities. Studies show a link between early childhood education and improved long-term academic performance.

"Awards are a great boost to morale, but we understand it is going to take a lot more than awards if we are to make progress in eradicating the poverty that has been a weight around the neck of this region for far too long," said J. Wayne Leonard, chairman and chief executive office of Entergy. "Without a strong education system, we are only treading water and the first big storm will put us back under again."

Entergy sponsored research in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi spelling out the long-term academic and economic benefits of quality preschool programs. Entergy employees at all levels became involved in working with state commissions, business groups and others advocating for increased state funding for preschool programs.

Based in part on those efforts, funding for pre-K programs in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi has increased by more than $178 million since 2001, and an estimated 60,000 low-income preschool children now have access to high-quality pre-K programs.

It is the third national award Entergy has won in 2011 for its pre-kindergarten advocacy. Earlier this year it received the Advocacy Excellence Award from the Edison Electric Institute and the Making a Difference Communitas Award from the American Association of Marketing Professionals.

Stevie Awards were presented in over 40 categories including Best Overall Company of the Year, Executive of the Year, and Best New Product of the Year. More than 2,800 entries from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration.

Entergy was also a finalist for awards in two other categories for its low-income customer assistance initiative and its efforts to promote awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit among its low-income customers

Details about The American Business Awards and the lists of honorees in all categories are available at www.stevieawards.com/aba.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.6 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $11 billion and approximately 15,000 employees.

About The Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Honoring companies of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.

Entergy's online address is www.entergy.com.

Entergy Corporation

Entergy Corporation

Entergy is a Fortune 500 company that powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergy.com and follow @Entergy on social media. #WePowerLife

Corporate Social Responsibility at Entergy

For more than 100 years, Entergy has powered life in our communities through strategic philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy’s corporate social responsibility initiatives help create and sustain thriving communities, position the company for sustainable growth and are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our top CSR priorities are education/workforce development, poverty solutions/social services and environmental programs. Entergy annually contributes $16-$18 million in shareholder-funded grants to approximately 2,000 nonprofit organizations in the communities where we operate. In addition, our employees volunteer more than 100,000 hours in those communities' values at more than $3 million.

More from Entergy Corporation