Hampton, NH – February 20, 2001: Grant recipients from the Peter J. Stulgis Memorial Fund gathered on Tuesday at the Elliot Alumni Center in Durham, NH, to present the progress of their projects and to expand on ideas of increasing technology in the classroom.

Those attending the forum included the grant recipients, Fund Advisory Committee members, Unitil employees, and Charitable Foundation Board members, totaling almost forty people. The forum began with a presentation by George Gantz, President of the Unitil Charitable Foundation, discussing the history of the fund, its current status, and its future state. Presentations by five of the grant recipients followed, with a certificate presentation rounding out the evening.

The grant recipients that presented on their projects included the following:

• Austin Preparatory School (Reading, MA) on their PASCO Science Workshop Physics Bundle
• FIRST Lego League (Manchester, NH) for the FIRST Lego League Robotics challenge, NH tournament sponsorship.
• NH Science Instrumentation Program (Durham, NH) on the molecular modeling software program they have been using in the classrooms.
• Sanborn Regional High School (Kingston, NH) for a student publishing program.
• St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Dover, NH) for the calculator-based laboratories they have integrated into their Biology and Chemistry classes.

"The students and teachers are so enthusiastic about the projects they have been working on, and the Recipient Forum is a wonderful opportunity that brings everyone together to hear about their progress. We are very impressed with the remarkable technical quality reflected in the projects this year" said George Gantz, President of the Unitil Charitable Foundation, Inc.

The Stulgis Fund has awarded nearly $100, 000 in technology grants over the past three years, with this year’s total grants amount totaling $35, 000. The grants are awarded to schools and organizations in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for the distinctive ways in which they integrate technology, hardware, and software into the secondary education classrooms or learning environments.

The hosts of this year’s event were the University of New Hampshire College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) and the NH Science Instrumentation Program (NHSIP). The latter program partners UNH scientists with local science teachers to encourage the use of computer modeling tools for students to use in learning about molecular characteristics and interactions. This program and the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences are also working hard to establish a center in support of science, mathematics, and technology education at the University of New Hampshire.

The Peter J. Stulgis Memorial Fund was established in 1997 to provide charitable grants and awards promoting the development and implementation of advanced electronic and computer technology applications for educational purposes in secondary schools. The Fund honors the late Peter J. Stulgis, who was the Chairman and CEO of Unitil Corporation until his death in May 1997. An Advisory Committee consisting of colleagues, friends, and family of Peter J. Stulgis made the grant selections. Anyone interested in donating to the Fund can send a check, payable to Peter J. Stulgis Memorial Fund, to Unitil Charitable Foundation, 6 Liberty Lane West, Hampton, NH 03842.

The Unitil Charitable Foundation is an independent private foundation created to facilitate tax deductible contributions to the Peter J. Stulgis Memorial Fund, to administer the Fund and to conduct other charitable activities.

Contact
Kristen Burack
burack@unitil.com