Newark, New Jersey – Offshore wind company Blue point wind today announces grant winners to advance STEM education for 10 New Jersey school teachers. Each educator chosen by the Company will receive $1,000 in interactive STEM kits from windchildinternational leader in renewable energy education.
“The next generation of renewable energy workers who will power New Jersey are sitting in high school classrooms right now,” he said John Dempsey, CEO of Bluepoint Wind, a partnership between Ocean Winds (OW), an international offshore wind energy company and joint venture between EDPR and ENGIE, and New York-based Global Infrastructure Partners. “Bluepoint Wind is helping educators prepare students for a decarbonized, net-zero emissions world in New Jersey, while supporting the state’s innovative climate change curriculum. “We are proud to support New Jersey teachers who are instrumental in fostering students’ passion for STEM and their critical role in building our energy future.”
Each of the 10 teachers will receive a $1,000 mini grant funded by Bluepoint Wind and applied toward the purchase of KidWind's interactive wind energy STEM kits. KidWind will also provide winners with training on how to incorporate STEM kits into in- and out-of-school learning environments.
In addition to partnering with KidWind on this educator mini-grant initiative, Bluepoint Wind serves on its Career Pathways Ad Hoc Committee on Offshore Wind Energy Education to provide support to the industry around youth workforce development.
“Offshore wind will be an important part of New Jersey's decarbonization strategy,” he said Michael Arquin, founder of KidWind. “While this technology is just beginning to take hold in the U.S., it is important to help future scientists and engineers understand and get excited about this very current topic. “We congratulate all Bluepoint Wind mini-grant educators bringing wind energy education and resources to New Jersey schools, and we look forward to supporting them as they implement KidWind curriculum and materials in their classrooms.”
The winning educators are:
- Vicki Cornell, Boonton High School
- emily williams, Eastern High School (Newark)
- Allison Wiesel Shrewsbury Boro School
- Maura Simister, Manchester Township Schools
- Oscar Acebo Macias, Union City High School
- Jeannine LanphearMid-Jersey STREAM Green Learning Ecosystem (Serving North Brunswick Schools)
- José Costello, Atlantic City High School
- Kathleen Kalena, Dover Public Schools
- Gerald Bruman, Millville High School
- Michelle Albritton, Paterson Public Schools
Teachers were selected from northern, central and southern New Jersey, taking into account those who work in schools in overburdened communities. The application was launched at the New Jersey Education Association Convention in November and applications were due December 1. All New Jersey educators who participated in the competition but did not win the mini-grants will receive a comprehensive guide to teaching wind energy to students in grades 6-12, packed with lessons and activities.
“We were thrilled to have KidWind and Bluepoint Wind at the NJEA Convention this year,” said Sean M. Spiller, NJEA President. “There are few issues more important to our students' future than our climate, so we applaud KidWind and Bluepoint Wind for leading on that issue and providing our members with resources to help them prepare the next generation of energy and climate innovators.” .
“As a proud partner of Bluepoint Wind and KidWind in advancing wind energy education in the state, we congratulate the recipients of these grants,” he said Dan Barnett, Director of Development at Students 2 Science, Inc. “This initiative is a great step in ensuring that all students have access to the tools necessary to prepare them for future industries and careers in the state.”
“As the first U.S. state to introduce K-12 standards that address climate change, it is important to encourage and support school districts to use these standards to develop interdisciplinary learning experiences about climate change that integrate an understanding of climate threats and implement community-derived solutions for a sustainable future,” said Janice McDonnell, STEM Agent, Rutgers University 4-H Youth Development Department.
About Bluepoint Wind:Bluepoint Wind is a partnership between Ocean Winds (OW), an international offshore wind energy company, and New York-based Global Infrastructure Partners. Together, these companies have a successful track record of more than 50 years of experience in the development, financing, construction and operation of renewable energy projects, including more than 15 years in offshore wind energy projects. Bluepoint Wind plans to build an offshore wind farm within its ocean lease area located 38 nautical miles (nm) off the coast of New York and 53 nm off the coast of New Jersey. At full capacity, this wind farm will be able to generate 1.7 gigawatts (GW) of clean wind energy, powering up to 900,000 homes and helping New York and New Jersey meet their ambitious carbon emissions reduction goals.
About the KidWind project:
The KidWind Project, an international leader in renewable energy education, has been working with educators and students to integrate renewable energy into classrooms for more than 15 years. Since 2004, KidWind has conducted more than 800 training events for more than 50,000 teachers around the world. For more information about our training, challenges and curricular materials, visit www.kidwind.org.
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