FirstEnergy Awards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Grants to 17 Teachers in Ohio Edison Area

AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has awarded Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) grants totaling more than $14,000 to 17 teachers to support educator-submitted projects in Ohio Edison's service territory.  The grants will be used for a variety of hands-on projects, workshops and teacher development programs.

The grant winners, their schools and projects are:

• Blake Beluscak, Ellet High School, Akron ? Exploring how copper content impacts the strength of brass.
• Elizabeth Bissell, Edison Middle School, Berlin Heights ? Building underwater remotely operated vehicles and competing to see which one can complete a task using the least amount of energy.
• Christa Borling, St. Francis Xavier School, Medina ? Learning about circuits and electricity by designing a lighted, battery-powered greeting card.
• Marsha Coffee, West Branch High School, Beloit ? Studying textiles and design, then creating quilts for donation to a local neonatal care unit.
• Jennifer Detmar, Ranger High Tech Academy, North Ridgeville ? Learning about circuitry and programming custom holiday light displays.
• Christina Forchione, Uniontown Elementary School, Uniontown ? Learning about shapes, letters and sounds, counting, fractions and spelling.
• Melissa Hanner, Sherman Elementary School, Mansfield ? Exploring force, electricity and magnetism.
• Matt Hereda, Lakeview Intermediate School, Stow ? Designing and electrifying a house to mimic one in the Harry Potter books.
• Matthew Hickin, Chapel Hill Christian School, Cuyahoga Falls ? Building dimmer switches to learn about circuits and materials.
• Gayle Kovach, Western Reserve Elementary, Collins ? Learning about force, motion and simple machines.
• Stacy Latham, Barberton Middle School, Barberton ? Building wind turbines and testing their efficiency.
• Kimberlee Martin and Karen Pruitt, Robinson Community Learning Center, Akron ? Studying urban gardening, learning the plant life cycle and growing the plants needed to make a salad.
• Nicole Bellmore Pierse, Horizon Education Center, Elyria ? Participating in a science magic show.
• Jennifer Pleasnick, Bellvue Elementary School, Bellevue ? Building and coding robotic machines.
• Janis Pridemore, North Elementary School, East Liverpool ? Research house designs and build circuits to learn about switches, voltage, resistance and other electrical concepts.
• Marie Wenning, Sauder Elementary School, Massillon ? Exploring a variety of hands-on materials and experiments.

"FirstEnergy has long supported educational activities in communities served by Ohio Edison, particularly those that encourage students to pursue careers in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics," said Dee Lowery, president of the FirstEnergy Foundation.  "We are pleased to provide assist STEM projects this year that support our students, schools and educators as they work to help build a strong workforce for the future."  

FirstEnergy offers grants up to $1,000 to individual teachers and administrators at schools served by its electric utility operating companies and in communities where it has facilities.  Company-wide, these grants totaled almost $70,000 in 2017.

Grant recipients are recommended by local educators who make up FirstEnergy's Educational Advisory Council.  As part of the program, recipients must furnish a written summary and evaluation of their projects that can be shared with other educators in FirstEnergy's service area.

Ohio Edison serves more than 1 million customers across 34 Ohio counties.  Follow Ohio Edison on Twitter @OhioEdison, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/OhioEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.  The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.  Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.