Fourteen Local Schools Chosen to Implement PEco Environmenetal Education Program

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fourteen local elementary and middle schools will participate in the third year of the PECO Environmental Education Program. Designed to educate regional students about energy efficiency and environmental conservation, 20 local elementary and middle schools have already participated in the program since its beginning in 2009.

This year’s schools are: E. N. Pierce Middle School in Chester County; Tinicum School in Delaware County; E. B. Barth Elementary, East Norriton Middle, Gotwals Elementary, and Upper Merion Area Middle Schools in Montgomery County; and Creighton Elementary, Harrison Elementary, Greenberg Elementary, James Rhoads Elementary, M. H. Stanton Elementary, Southwark Elementary, Universal Daroff Charter, and Universal Institute Charter Schools in Philadelphia.

Designed in cooperation with the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED), and in partnership with The Franklin Institute, the project-based curriculum uses hands-on activities to explore the relationship between energy efficiency, conservation and environmental preservation.

The program begins with a curriculum workshop for teachers at The Franklin Institute. Following the classroom learning, teachers and students tour an electric generating station, and put their knowledge to practical use by completing an energy efficiency/conservation community project.

The schools are chosen through a competitive application process that is based on the number of students who would benefit from the program, how each school would implement the curriculum, and information on their planned community project.

In addition to the curriculum training and educational materials, the students also will participate in a school energy audit and receive home energy audit kits. Each school also will receive $1,500 in funding from PECO.

The PECO Environmental Education Program is part of a five-year major environmental initiative aimed to make PECO more environmentally friendly through energy efficiency and other cutting-edge efforts. The comprehensive $15 million program began in 2008, included the opening of PECO’s first ‘green building’ in West Chester, the installation of a green roof and a new Crown Lights system at the company’s Center City headquarters, work to secure Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for many company work sites, the increased use of hybrid and biodiesel vehicles, support for community environmental projects, and enhanced tools and programs to help customers use energy more efficiently.

These environmental efforts contribute to and support Exelon 2020: A Low-Carbon Roadmap, the comprehensive environmental plan of PECO’s parent company. Exelon 2020 sets the goal of reducing, offsetting or displacing more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020. The corporation will do this by reducing or offsetting the company’s carbon footprint, helping customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and providing more low-carbon electricity in the marketplace.
NEED is the nation’s leading provider of energy education programs and materials to schools. Their mission is to promote an energy conscious and educated society. All NEED learning activities are correlated to Pennsylvania science objectives.

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). PECO serves 1.6 million electric and 486,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania and employs about 2,400 people in the region. PECO delivered 84.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2009. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations.

If you are a member of the media and would like to receive PECO news releases via e-mail please send your e-mail address to PECO.Communication@exeloncorp.com