Johnson Controls, Philips Lighting, NEF and USEA Announce Energy Contest Winners

MILWAUKEE, April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The winners of this year's sixth annual Igniting Creative Energy Challenge showed that a young generation is ready to fight to save our natural resources. The Challenge is an educational competition sponsored and funded through a grant by Johnson Controls, Inc., with additional support from Philips Lighting Company and the United States Energy Association (USEA). It is administered by the National Energy Foundation (NEF).

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The winners -- three students and a teacher -- will receive a hosted trip to Hawaii in April, as well as the opportunity to participate in the Energy Efficiency Forum in Washington, D.C., on June 12-13 where they will share their Challenge entries and ideas with government and energy leaders. Additionally Philips, a new partner this year, will provide prize packages for each winner that include a digital PhotoFrame(TM) for the student or teacher, as well as a HeartStart OnSite Defibrillator for the school.

This year's Igniting Creative Energy Challenge national winners include:

Elementary Division: Stacy Nicole Wade, 5th grader from Silver Lake Unified School District 372 in Kansas. Stacy submitted a scrapbook titled, "Recipes for Recycling" in which she chronicles her efforts to recycle metal and mulch to save the environment and earn money for college. Stacy has recycled over 5,700 pounds of metal. She also creates mulch from grass clippings and leaves, which she then delivers throughout the neighborhood.

Middle School Division: Emily Wang, 6th grade student at Granite School District in Utah. Emily authored and illustrated a children's book titled "Stacy the Energy Hog". The book's heroine sees first hand the importance of energy conservation and grows up to become an environmentalist who helps other people save energy. Emily is a member of her class's problem solving committee, PINK (Pollution is Not Kool), which distributes compact fluorescent light bulbs and recycled plastic bags.

High School Division: Stephanie Vinson, 12th grader from San Diego Unified School District in California. Stephanie sculpted an earthen-media fountain that depicts a world being held up by the actions of people who conserve energy and recycle. She inscribed the base with almost 100 ways individuals can support our environment.

Teacher Division: Angel Kamara, math teacher at Lakeside High School in the Columbia County School District in Georgia. Ms. Kamara had the highest average score of her top 15 qualified student entries. Projects from her students ranged from stories, comics and websites. One Website entry was captured worldwide and referenced by other individual's projects submitted from around the United States.

The winning entries for 2007 will be posted at http://www.ignitingcreativeenergy.org/. The student winners were selected from over 2,000 entries this year. Since first launching six years ago, the Challenge has drawn participation from approximately 12,000 students.

"Johnson Controls is proud to sponsor a program that focuses student energy on one of the great challenges of our time: conserving energy and improving our environment," said C. David Myers, president of the building efficiency business at Johnson Controls. "We congratulate the winners on their great work, and are pleased to recognize them and their original ideas."

The Igniting Creative Energy Challenge is open to all students in grades K-12 in the United States and Canada. Students are asked to submit entries that reflect the competition theme, Igniting Creative Energy, and demonstrate an understanding of what an individual, family, or group can do to make a difference in their home, school or community.

Additionally, one teacher with the highest average score of student work from 15 or more qualifying entries is chosen as a winner.

Projects submitted for judging include essays, stories, artwork, photographs, music, video, websites, or science project ideas. The judging staff consisted of more than 25 professionals nationwide with backgrounds in science, math, music, art, and gifted and talented education, as well as environmental industry experts. Judging was done in preliminary and final rounds.

"Yet again, we had such amazing entries that truly show the capabilities of these students to lead efforts to save energy and the environment," said Bob Poulson, president of the National Energy Foundation. "The quality of our entries continues to grow by leaps and bounds every year. We are thrilled that students enjoy taking part in the Challenge."

Students were asked to write a one-page summary that described their motivation for submitting an entry and what they hope their project accomplishes. "Whether people are homeless, on a tight budget, or billionaires; everyone can contribute to the cause," wrote Stephanie Vinson. "There are so many different ways to save energy or recycle that will not interrupt our daily lives. I hope my project inspires people to start doing something good for our Earth."

About National Energy Foundation

The National Energy Foundation is a unique 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the development, dissemination, and implementation of supplementary educational materials, programs and courses that relate primarily to energy, water, natural resources, science and math, technology, conservation and the environment. These teaching resources recognize the importance and contribution of natural resources to our economy, our national security, the environment and our quality of life.

About United States Energy Association

The United States Energy Association is the United States member of the World Energy Council. USEA is composed of approximately 150 public and private energy-related organizations, corporations and government agencies.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of sales of $37.7 billion (EUR 30.4 billion) in 2005. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 161,500 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter.

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls is a global leader in automotive experience, building efficiency and power solutions. The company provides innovative automotive interiors that help make driving more comfortable, safe and enjoyable. For buildings, it offers products and services that optimize energy use and improve comfort and security. Johnson Controls also provides batteries for automobiles and hybrid electric vehicles, along with systems engineering and service expertise. Johnson Controls has 136,000 employees in more than 1,000 locations serving customers in 125 countries. Founded in 1885, the company is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/.