Duke Energy Foundation awards $40,000 for Teach for America-Southwest Ohio program

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CINCINNATI - The Duke Energy Foundation continues its strong support by awarding $40,000 to the Teach For America-Southwest Ohio program benefitting the Cincinnati, Dayton and northern Kentucky areas.

This is the fourth year for Duke Energy to support the program, since it was launched in the region in 2012. Teach for America helps advance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum in local schools through teacher recruitment and placement in the city’s lower-income communities.

"The partnership between Teach For America-Southwest Ohio and Duke Energy Foundation will grow the recruitment, training, and support of new STEM teachers across the tristate. “In our region, where science and technology innovations contribute greatly to our economy, identity, and pride, improving educational opportunities in these fields seems especially important,”" said Alison Niles Peters, Director of Development at Teach for America. "There is an urgent need for teachers with math and science backgrounds in Greater Cincinnati.”"

"The Teach For America's model of recruiting a diverse group of teachers - many who majored in STEM fields in college or who have had professional STEM experience - draws STEM subject matter experts into classrooms. “One of the most important steps we can take to strengthen STEM education is to invest in our teachers and we need many more to ensure that all kids across Greater Cincinnati have access to the excellent STEM education that will get them on track to choose math and science careers," Peters added.”

Partnering in a program like Teach For America is a great fit for Duke Energy. Increasing knowledge in STEM subjects is the core of attracting the future Duke Energy workforce. “The Teach For America program is a great way for us to invest in the teachers who could very likely be educating our future employees,” said Casey Ruschman, Duke Energy Foundation in Ohio and Kentucky. “We are proud to partner with such an impactful organization to ensure we have solid, STEM-focused teachers here in the tristate.”

The program currently has 66 teachers enrolled through the program in teaching positions throughout southwest Ohio and northern Kentucky in the Cincinnati Public Schools and Covington Independent School systems respectively.

About The Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to address the needs vital to the health of its communities. Annually, the Foundation funds more than $25 million in charitable grants, with a focus on education, environment, economic and workforce development, and community impact. Duke Energy has long been committed to supporting the communities where its customers and employees live and work, and will continue to build on this legacy.

About Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky

Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky'’s operations provide electric service to about 840,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in a 3,000-square-mile service area and natural gas service to approximately 500,000 customers.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.

About Teach for America

Teach For America works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for children facing the challenges of poverty. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding college graduates and professionals to make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the movement to end educational inequity. Today, 10,600 corps members are teaching in 50 urban and rural regions across the country while more than 37,000 alumni work across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.