SHREVEPORT, La., May 12, 2021 – An AEP Teacher Vision Grant from Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) will enable students at one Northwest Arkansas school the opportunity to learn science through augmented and virtual reality.
Warren Utsler, a teacher at Tyson School of Innovation in Springdale, Ark., received a $500 grant to purchase zSpace’s VIVED Science app, which provides hundreds of dissectible models for biological sciences, zoology, earth science, anatomy and more.
“It allows students to interact with virtual 3D models that appear in space between themselves and the computer using specialized glasses,” Utsler said. “Lessons are provided for all grades levels for student to interact with, explore and learn.”
Offered through SWEPCO’s parent company, American Electric Power (AEP), the AEP Teacher Vision Grant program provides aid ranging from $100 to $500 to classroom teachers. “These grants are designed to reward the talents and creativity of Pre-K through grade 12 educators devoted to motivating youth to think creatively, to step into leadership roles and to address the challenges of the future,” said Bradley Hardin, SWEPCO External Affairs and Government Affairs manager in Fayetteville.
Educators who live or teach in the AEP service area or in communities with major AEP facilities are eligible to apply for the mini-grants. Projects that have an academic focus and a goal of improving student achievement are eligible for consideration. AEP has a special interest in science, mathematics, technology, electrical safety and the balanced study of energy and the environment.
Each year, the AEP Teacher Vision Grant program awards up to $70,000 across the 11 states served by AEP utilities companies.
For more information on the AEP Teacher Vision Grant program and other AEP education initiatives, seewww.aep.com/go/education.
About Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO)
SWEPCO, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, serves more than 543,000 customers in northwest and central Louisiana, northeast Texas and the Texas Panhandle, and western Arkansas. SWEPCO’s headquarters are in Shreveport, La. News releases and other information about SWEPCO can be found at SWEPCO.com. Connect with us at Facebook.com/SWEPCO, Twitter.com/SWEPCOnews, Instagram.com/swepco, Youtube.com/SWEPCOtv, LinkedIn.com/company/swepco and SWEPCOConnections.com.
About American Electric Power (AEP)
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s approximately 16,800 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 223,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,500 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.