Chicago, IL (June 21, 2007)—Eight teachers from Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic schools were awarded a total of $70,000 from BP, through the company’s A+ for Energy ® program. The awards are for creative classroom, after-school, extra-curricular or summer activities involving energy education and conservation. Catholic school grant recipients will be honored, along with other schoolteacher awardees from around Chicagoland, at a special ceremony at the Museum of Science and Industry this evening, June 21 at 6 p.m.

“We congratulate our dedicated school teachers in partnering with BP’s A+ for Energy ® program to help our Catholic school students better understand issues of energy and conservation,” said Nicholas Wolsonovich, Ph.D., Superintendent, Office of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Chicago.

The Catholic school winners, their schools, and their project titles are listed below:

Jillian Houghton
Resurrection High School, Chicago
Probing Energy Across the Curriculum

Beth Polich
St. Barbara Elementary School, Chicago
Watt's the Deal with Light Bulb Efficiency?

Maureen Fallon
St. Scholastica Academy, Chicago
Biomass: The Time Is Now

Joan Smigielski
St. Turibius Grade School, Chicago
Energy Activity Day

Cheryl Tolish
Infant Jesus of Prague School, Homewood
Solar or Wind, The Great Debate

Fran Pelrine
Notre Dame High School for Young Men, Niles
Solar & Wind Energy: The Future Begins Now

Marcus McKinley
Fenwick High School, Oak Park
Turning Red to Green

Nancy Ramig
Saint Michael School, Orland Park
Solar Energy Expo

“We are extremely pleased to recognize some of Chicagoland’s top teachers, whose creativity in the classroom both inspires and encourages students to be good energy consumers,” said Doris Salomón Chagin, BP Community Affairs Director – Midwest US. “The A+ for Energy program reinforces BP’s longstanding commitment to quality education. We are actively engaging with communities where our employees live and work, helping to enhance education, encourage enterprise development, and promote alternative energy solutions.”

In addition to the grant award, BP will provide winning teachers with a scholarship to attend a three-day energy training conference, sponsored by BP and presented in partnership with the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project. The all-inclusive scholarship will cover the cost of travel, meals, lodging and a kit of instructional materials (tools and resources for teaching energy activities) valued at $500.