FRANKFORT, KY – AEP Teacher Vision Grants from Kentucky Power are helping improve educational instruction in grades K -12. Recently the company, an operating unit of American Electric Power (AEP), awarded $2,500 to deserving applicants in Eastern Kentucky.

The Teacher Vision Grant program was launched in 2003 to provide aid ranging from $100 to $500 to classroom teachers. The grants are designed to help educators implement innovative and creative lessons in their classrooms, said Ronn Robinson, corporate communications manager for Kentucky Power.

"The lessons are designed by local teachers to motivate youth to think creatively and/or to step into leadership roles. Often, teachers have great ideas for enhancing student education but lack the funds necessary to implement them. The Vision Grant program is meant to help them obtain all or part of the funding to make those great ideas reality," he said.

Local teachers receiving grants, their school, and grant amount, are provided below:

Whitney Bowe, Fairview Elementary School, Ashland, $250
Heather Brown, Cannonsburg Elementary School, Cannonsburg, $250
Hans Doderer, Magoffin County High School, Salyersville, $200
Kerri Keener, Hatcher Elementary School, Ashland, $300
Missy Murray, Fairview Elementary School, Ashland, $250
Regina Sizemore, Letcher County Central High School, Whitesburg, $500
Millie Stamper, Buckhorn Elementary, Buckhorn, $250
Kelli Thompson, Pike County Schools, Pikeville, $500

"One of the most important contributions Kentucky Power can make in our service communities is to support education," said Tim Mosher, president and COO of Kentucky Power. "Education is key to the success of our service area and programs like our Teacher Vision Grants foster independent and creative thinking of both students and teachers. In the end, we all benefit."

Educators who live or teach in the AEP/Kentucky Power service area or in communities with major AEP facilities are eligible to apply for Vision Grants. Priority is given to educators who have attended AEP Workshops for Educators, National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project training, AEP’s E-Lab projects, or who are affiliated with an AEP school-business partnership. Projects that have an academic focus and goal of improving student achievement are eligible for consideration. AEP and Kentucky Power have a special interest in science, mathematics, technology, electrical safety and the balanced study of energy and the environment.

For more information on the Teacher Vision Grant Program and other AEP education initiatives, see www.aep.com/go/education.

Kentucky Power provides electricity to approximately 175,000 customers in all or parts of 20 Eastern Kentucky counties. It is a unit of American Electric Power, the nation’s largest electricity generator. AEP owns more than 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity and is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, with more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP is based in Columbus, Ohio.