Island Institute Receives Time Warner Cable Education Grant

The Island Institute announced today that, thanks to a $50,000 grant from Time Warner Cable, students at North Haven Community School and Vinalhaven School will have a new way to learn about energy efficiency this coming school year. 

Energy for ME is a pilot project that will involve up to 10 teachers and 75 middle-school and high-school students in hands-on activities designed to help them better understand local energy usage and explore options for cleaner, more efficient and more affordable energy. By helping students use "smart" meters to measure energy usage in these two island communities, project coordinator Ruth Kermish-Allen, the Island Institute's director of education, hopes to create a model that can be replicated elsewhere along the Maine coast. "This is a great opportunity to hone students' science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills, and increase their awareness of potential careers in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy. We really appreciate Time Warner Cable's interest in developing the next generation of environmental stewards, scientists and energy experts." 

Time Warner Cable donated the funding as part of its new science and technology education initiative, Connect a Million Minds (CAMM). Melinda Poore, vice-president of government relations for Time Warner Cable of New England, sees the Energy for ME project in these two remote island schools as an exciting educational opportunity for learners of all ages. "As a company rooted in innovation, it's clear to us that there is an immediate need to encourage youth to develop skills in science and technology. Through Energy for ME, students on Vinalhaven and North Haven will apply math and science to help tackle a real-life issue facing Maine's islands, the need for greater energy efficiency."

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About Time Warner Cable Time Warner Cable is the largest cable provider in Maine and the second-largest cable operator in the United States, with technologically advanced, well-clustered systems located in five geographic areas-New York State (including New York City), the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California (including Los Angeles) and Texas. Time Warner Cable serves more than 14 million customers who subscribe to one or more of its video, high-speed data and voice services. More information is available at  www.timewarnercable.com/northeast.