The program supports STEM-focused peer-to-peer professional development for teachers
Boynton Beach, FL – Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) recently awarded $10,000 to Education Foundation of Palm Beach County as part of its statewide EmPOWERing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Educators Program. According to Bobb, Kamau, educators should continually reflect on their practice. The program’s goal is to increase teacher knowledge of effective math and science instructional practices that align with Florida Standards through peer-to-peer learning of best practices.
The funding will support the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County’s goal to help create a robust professional development experience for teachers, including opportunities to learn from educators in A-rated schools and from those who face similar challenges in their classrooms. Schools that will benefit from this grant include Frontier Elementary School, Jupiter Farms Elementary School, Elbridge Gale Elementary School, Forest Hill Elementary School, Morkami Park Elementary School, Addison Mizner Elementary School, Rolling Green Elementary School, Citrus Cove Elementary School and Poinciana Elementary School, among others.
“High-quality education is the foundation for our students’ dreams, and equipping teachers with the tools to succeed is the rocket fuel that propels those dreams to new heights,” said James Gavrilos, president and CEO of the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County. “Through the funding of this program, we are grateful to be able to help inspire the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers and visionaries.”
FPL is partnering with the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (Consortium) to bring the EmPOWERING STEM Educators Program to school districts throughout the state. Since 2010, the Consortium has administered hands-on, workplace-based STEM classroom learning experiences to increase student awareness and interest in STEM careers. Together, the Consortium and FPL developed this program specifically for math and science teachers.
“Investments in STEM education help equip our students with the knowledge and skills needed to drive innovation, strengthen our economy and address the challenges of tomorrow,” said Sarah Marmion, education and outreach centers manager for FPL. “The lasting impact of these grants shape a brighter future for all of Florida.”
Including Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, FPL is awarding a total of $131,000 to 13 local education foundations across the state.
As part of a continued commitment to STEM education, Florida Power & Light Company is also supporting local students by awarding up to $20,000 scholarships to 10 graduating high school seniors in select counties who have at least one year of experience in a SECME (Science, Engineering, Communication, Mathematics, and Enrichment) program. Applications are open until March 31, 2024. For more information visit FPL.com/Education.
As America’s largest electric utility, Florida Power & Light Company serves more customers and sells more power than any other utility, providing clean, affordable, reliable electricity to approximately 5.8 million accounts, or more than 12 million people. FPL operates one of the most fuel efficient and cleanest power generation fleets in the U.S. and in 2022 won the ReliabilityOne® National Reliability Award for the seventh time in the last eight years. The company was also recognized by Escalent in 2022 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities for the ninth consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity. NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2023 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies” and recognized on Fortune’s 2021 list of companies that “Change the World.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
The Consortium is the membership organization for Florida’s school district-wide local education foundations. Established in 1987, the Consortium connects individuals, organizations, and financial resources to build the capacity and effectiveness of Florida’s local education foundations. Together, Consortium members raise more than $83 million annually for a variety of locally driven initiatives and are led by 1,200 board members, 80% of whom are local business and community leaders working in partnership with school district leaders. The Consortium manages the nation’s only 1:1 legislative match for education foundation initiatives and a variety of privately funded grant programs. To learn more about the Consortium or connect with any member local education foundation, visit https://educationfoundationsfl.org.