BERLIN, Connecticut - January 16, 2009 – Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) today announced that Suffield High School is the winner of “Live Green – Win Green,” a unique competition designed to encourage high school students to conserve energy and protect the environment. As the winner, Suffield High School will receive a $20,000 grant from CL&P to implement “green” initiatives proposed in its contest submission. Three honorable mentions were also announced and include Daniel Hand High School in Madison, East Lyme High School and Mercy High School in Middletown. Each honorable mention will receive a $5,000 grant.
“Our young people are the environmental stewards of the future and all of us at CL&P are impressed by the students’ enthusiasm and commitment to conserve energy and protect the environment,” says Raymond P. Necci, president and chief operating officer of CL&P. “Suffield High School demonstrated both creativity and ingenuity, as did the contest runners-up, and we’re pleased to help make their ‘green’ initiatives a reality.”
Suffield High School’s contest submission highlighted the school’s current “green” programs including a composting bin in the cafeteria, recycling bins around the school, and visits to Divine Brooke behind the school for clean-up days. The students making the submission proposed using the grant money for a number of possible future initiatives including building a green roof on top of the school, modifying the gutter system to reuse the runoff water to water the grounds and plants around the school, and using solar energy to create a “learning lab.” Runner-up Daniel Hand High School proposed energy efficient hand dryers, East Lyme High School students want to install a geothermal heating system, and Mercy High School wants to install a new energy efficient dishwasher and new hot water heater.
“Live Green – Win Green” was open to all high schools within CL&P’s service area. Student organizations, classes, clubs, individual students and groups of students were eligible to participate with the supervision of a school administrator or faculty advisor. Participants were required to produce a two-minute video showcasing what they and their fellow students are doing to conserve energy and/or make their school environmentally friendly. Plus each submission needed to include a 1,000-word essay on how their school would use the grant money to “go green.”
The contest received 30 submissions. Over 170,000 votes were cast online during the public voting period of December 1 through December 12. Simsbury High School received the most votes and automatically moved on to the finalist round as “The People’s Choice.” CL&P selected the remaining 14 finalists. The winners were then selected by a panel of judges including: Dennis Carrithers, associate executive director of high school programs and services for the Connecticut Association of Schools; Cyndy Chanaca, office of communication of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection; Brent Hardin, news anchor for FOX 61; Dr. Elsa Nunez, president of Eastern Connecticut State University, and Bill Quinlan, vice president of field maintenance for CL&P.
For more information on “Live Green – Win Green” or to view the contest submissions, visit www.livegreenwingreen.com.
The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) has been part of everyday life in Connecticut for more than 100 years, providing safe and reliable electric service to homes, neighborhoods and businesses. With 1.2 million customers in 149 cities and towns, CL&P is an active member in the communities it serves, offering programs in energy conservation, economic development and environmental stewardship. CL&P is part of the Northeast Utilities System (NYSE: NU). For more information, please visit www.cl-p.com.
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