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12 organizations from Ohio and Northern Kentucky were awarded $150,000 in grants.
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Funding supports programs that focus on closing the achievement gap and advancing engineering, energy, and environmental education.
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Grants part of Duke Energy’s multimillion-dollar annual philanthropic investments in local initiatives.
CINCINNATI – Duke Energy is continuing its investment in Greater Cincinnati students, educators and communities by awarding $150,000 in grants to 12 education programs.
The grants are used to support science, technology and engineering (STEM) programs and environmental education programs. They also help students acquire the skills required for successful careers within the energy sector. These programs are designed to reduce the learning gap that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as close the achievement gap that often separates low income students from their peers.
“In addition to funding important initiatives that allow students to explore a variety of STEM fields, we’re also supporting exciting programs that provide the resources and tools underserved children need to blossom into tomorrow’s leaders,” said Amy Spiller, president, Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky. “We’re focused on building powerful communities where nature and wildlife thrive, students can excel and a talented workforce drives economic prosperity for all. ”
The Duke Energy Foundation administers the education grants. It provided $2 million to support Greater Cincinnati initiatives in 2021.
“COVID has presented many challenges to students and teachers as we recover from periods of missed in-classroom instruction,” said Madhura Kulkarni, director, Center for Integrative Natural Science and Mathematics at Northern Kentucky University. “Thanks to this generous grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, we’re able to help more teachers adapt their STEM instruction to meet the needs of every student, especially those who lost opportunities to engage in hands-on, inquiry-based STEM learning over the last two years.”
The Duke Energy Foundation provided funding for the following 12 programs
- Adventure Crew
$10,000 for new Crew Pathway program. This program provides leadership, environmental, and educational training for young people in the city to increase their passion for the outdoors.
- B the Keeper
$15,000 to help high school students develop an appreciation for native bees through habitat restoration projects. This is part of the Powerful Pollinators program.
- Boone County Schools
$10,000 for Student Energy Teams or STEM clubs to spark interest among today’s young people in science, technology engineering, math, and prepare them for tomorrow’s workforce.
- imago
$5,000 to improve school learning, focusing on STEM topics, through the creation and support of outdoor learning spaces in public schools in the Price Hill neighborhood.
- iSPACE Inc.
$10,000 to provide STEM learning opportunities outside of school to students from low income areas.
- Miami University
$15,000 to provide Cincinnati Public School students STEM learning opportunities through hands-on robotics and computer programming at eight Cincinnati Recreation Commission centres during Summer STEM Camp.
- Northern Kentucky Education Council Inc.
$15,000 to reduce learning gaps caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also help struggling students receive the One to One program support to succeed in math and reading.
- Northern Kentucky University Foundation
Teachers will receive $20,000 to engage in high-quality, classroom-embedded professional education in STEM subjects. The focus of the program is to help teachers adapt their STEM instruction to meet all students’ needs, regardless of their level of knowledge due to missing instruction.
- The Hamilton County Public Library
$10,000 for Discover Summer program to prevent summer learning loss in high-poverty areas for children and teens. These students often struggle with basic needs such as access to healthy food, safe spaces, and safety when they are not in a school setting.
- University of Cincinnati Foundation
$15,000 to support Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative’s STEM Bicycles and 3D Printers clubs. These clubs engage students to develop their engineering and design skills, confidence, and interest in exploring STEM careers.
- UpSpring
$10,000 to support Summer 360° day camps, which provide structure for continued learning and academic skill set retention during the critical summer months for children experiencing homelessness in Greater Cincinnati.
- YMCA
$15,000 to support 2022 summer camp Thingamajig Invention ConventionEncourage youth to explore engineering, science, and design.
Duke Energy will soon announce the Greater Cincinnati recipients for its Urban Revitalization, nature and workforce grants.
Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides support for philanthropic causes in communities where Duke Energy customers live or work. The Foundation receives more than $30,000,000 annually in charitable donations and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder funds. You can find more information about the Foundation and Powerful Communities at duke-energy.com/foundation.
Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky
Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky is a subsidiary of Duke Energy. It provides electric service to around 860,000 residential, industrial, and commercial customers within a 3,000-square mile service area. Natural gas service is available to approximately 538,000 customers within a 2,650 square-mile service region.
Media contact: Casey Kroger
Media line: 800.559.3853
