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Cook County Awards Funding to Four 16th District Public Schools for Renewable Energy Education Initiative

Schools in Cicero, Franklin Park, Maywood and Northlake were among the 24 schools that received awards from Cook County’s Solar Schools Grant Program

Under Cook County’s Solar Schools Grant program, the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability awarded grant funding to 24 public schools, four within the 16th District, to support the construction of small photovoltaic (PV) systems used to educate students first-hand how sunlight is converted into electricity

The County’s program provides supplemental funding to grantees of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation’s (ICECF) K-12 Solar Schools Program, which assists with the installation of 1kW PV systems throughout Illinois institutions serving grades K-12. Each school is reimbursed a maximum of $5,000 by the County upon installation of the system.

“Cook County is grateful to the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation for their partnership on this important initiative,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

“This program enables our young people to better understand the science behind renewable energy and to see that a career in renewable energy might be in their future.”

Grantees commit to incorporating solar and renewable energy into their STEM curriculum, and to host “Solarbrations” that celebrate the PV system within their school community.

“Providing public schools the resources they need enables students to not only have access to a top tier educational experience, but also allows students to follow their passions and find what they want to do with their lives,” said 16th District Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar.

“I am proud that four 16th District schools were chosen for this award, and am excited to see its impact on students and faculty alike in working to protect this world, today and tomorrow.”

The 16th District schools who received Solar Schools Grant awards from Cook County are:

Sherlock Elementary School in Cicero
East Leyden High School in Franklin Park
Proviso East High School in Maywood
West Leyden High School in Northlake

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

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