National Grid has been named the recipient of the “Great Friend to Kids Award” by Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM). The award, which spotlights the contributions of community champions who enhance the lives of children, will be presented at the LICM “Cupcakes & Cocktails” fundraiser on Thursday, September 26.
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. , Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — National Grid has been named the Great Friend to Kids Award recipient by Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM). The award, spotlighting the contributions of community champions who enhance the lives of children, will be presented during the Museum’s Cupcakes & Cocktails fundraiser on September 26. Mauri Myers-Solages, Strategic Partnerships Manager, National Grid will accept the Great Friend to Kids Award.
“Growing programs with National Grid as a partner has helped the Children’s Museum be responsive to student and teacher needs, providing room for risk taking, learning, and long-term engagement,” said LICM President Erika Floreska.
National Grid (and its predecessor organizations) have supported the Children’s Museum since its earliest days, providing the Museum with in-kind support to launch its opening and then as a programmatic supporter. Since 2010, National Grid has invested more than $1 million in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programming at LICM –serving as the lead funder of the Museum’s major STEM education initiatives, with the launch of the Westbury School District STEM Partnership, the STEM Explorers program, powered by Green Teens, and LICM’s annual STEM weekend each spring.
“This type of long-term corporate partnership is remarkable both in size and impact,” noted LICM President Erika Floreska. “Growing programs with National Grid as a partner has helped the Children’s Museum be responsive to student and teacher needs, providing room for risk taking, learning, and long-term engagement. We’ve all learned along the way, and the power of the program has seen investment by the school district – adding new science specialist teachers in each elementary school.”
“I am deeply honored to accept the ‘Great Friend to Kids Award’ from the Long Island Children’s Museum, on behalf of National Grid. National Grid has proudly supported LICM for over 20 years, and our long-term commitment to early STEM learning has yielded remarkable results,” said Mauri Myers-Solages, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Social Impact, National Grid. “We are especially proud of the Green Teens program and how it has flourished, empowering young people and making a meaningful impact in our community through science-based problem solving.”
National Grid’s programmatic support of more than $1 million dollars over the years, has produced impressive educational impact results in the Westbury School District:
Students received more than 430,000 hours of hands-on STEM learningOver 12,000 students engaged in STEM educationDistrict teachers receive nearly 8,500 hours of STEM Professional Development
The Westbury STEM Partnership is an initiative to ignite interest in STEM topics in early learners through experiential learning activities. Through the program, LICM becomes an extension of the classroom, allowing students to bring their classroom lessons to life through real-world actions. The program serves every first, second and third grade student and all special education students in grades K-12 in the Westbury, NY school district. The program provides students with multiple Museum field trips, professional development training for parents and events for families at student schools and the Museum to connect family members with their child’s STEM interest.
Teachers are provided with Professional Development training to build their confidence and skills using hands-on learning techniques and are provided with program kits to create dedicated STEM areas in their classrooms. The Westbury School District provides busing for all the field trips and has added three new teaching positions as science specialists in each elementary school – thanks in part to the success of the LICM partnership supported by National Grid.
In addition to the Westbury STEM Partnership initiative, National Grid supports LICM’s STEM Explorers, powered by Green Teens, program. This year-round program trains high school students in the Museum’s educational methodology to develop hands-on activities for LICM visitors in topics like energy, conservation and the environment. The program provides leadership and teaching skills, promotes volunteerism and provides opportunities for area teens to explore career paths in STEM fields. Since the launch of the program in 2010, 153 high school students have participated in the program and delivered 377 workshop activities to Museum visitors.
A highlight of the Museum’s program calendar each spring is LICM’s STEM Weekend. Green Teens develop and deliver activities for visitors, along with special guests from STEM careers providing opportunities for young visitors to explore future career paths.
Established in 1991 by the Association of Children’s Museums, the Great Friend to Kids Award has been presented nationally to The Junior League, former First Lady Barbara Bush, Temple Grandin Ph.D. (autism advocate), and Fred Rogers (“Mister Rogers), among others. Long Island Children’s Museum introduced the award on the local level in 2020.
Cupcakes & Cocktails is the Museum’s main fundraising event annually. Funds raised enable LICM to foster the growth of our next generation of artists, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs and citizens. The 2024 event is co-chaired by Lisa Warren, LICM Trustee, 2020 Great Friend to Kids Award Honoree and Alexandra Marino, LICM Trustee, 2022 Community Leadership Award Recipient.
About the Long Island Children’s Museum (www.licm.org)
The mission of Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM) is to connect all our communities’ children, and those who care for them, to a life of wonder, imagination and exploration. At LICM, children discover their passions and their relationship to the world we share. The 40,000-square-foot museum serves over 300,000 children and adults annually. The private, not-for-profit institution chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, offers museum-based educational programs and cultural experiences, as well as an extensive community outreach program offered in schools, libraries and youth centers across Long Island. Additionally, the Children’s Museum operates the historic Nunley’s Carousel in association with Nassau County, one of three intact Stein & Goldstein carousels still in existence.
Recognized with several honors, including the National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), LICM is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the gold standard of museum excellence. It is currently the only accredited children’s museum in New York State and is one of only 16 accredited children’s museums nationwide. LICM has earned 4-stars on Charity Navigator and has Platinum Transparency on Candid.
Media Contact
Alan Miller, Alan Miller Public Relations, 1 917-412-0166, alan@alanmillerpr.com
Maureen Mangan, Long Island Children’s Museum, 1 516-224-5828, mmangan@licm.org, www.licm.org
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SOURCE Long Island Children’s Museum
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