FirstEnergy Awards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Grants to Six Teachers in Penn Power Service Areas

READING, Pa., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has awarded Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) grants totaling almost $6,000 to six teachers in the company's Pennsylvania Power Company (Penn Power) service area.  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:

• Stephanie Corrette-Bennet, Neshannock Memorial Elementary School, New Castle ? Exploring renewable energy with lessons on solar, hydro, wind and geothermal.
• Stephanie Fiala, Moon Area School District, Moon Township ? Practicing coding to help develop problem-solving skills.
• Cara Florie, Harry W. Lockley Early Learning Center, New Castle ? Exploring engineering and design solutions using both reading and art skills.
• Colleen Hinrichsen, Mars Area Centennial School, Mars ? Creating artwork that is programmed to change as the phases of the moon change.
• Victoria Littell, Allard Elementary School, Moon ? Working in teams that include special education students to build robots.
• Danielle Webster, Fairview Elementary, Midland ? Programming robots, then teaching lower grades about these programming projects.

"FirstEnergy has long supported educational activities in communities served by our Pennsylvania utilities, 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 assistance to so many STEM projects this year to 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.

Penn Power is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. and serves more than 160,000 customers in all or parts of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Lawrence, and Mercer counties in western Pennsylvania.  Follow Penn Power on Twitter @Penn Power, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennPower.

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.