NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 31, 2007
Contact: Diane Brossart
Valley Forward Association
(602) 240-2408

VALLEY FORWARD ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES
ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS FOR ARIZONA TEACHERS

PHOENIX, AZ (October 31, 2007) – Arizona teachers, grades K-12 may apply for up to $5,000 in funding for environmental education activities in their classroom, school or in the community, through Valley Forward's EarthFest Education Grant. For the third consecutive year, the grant is made possible by one of the association's visionary members, STMicroelectronics.

Widely recognized in the Valley as a non-profit environmental public interest organization, Valley Forward will award one or more grants for projects that focus on such topics as: water, air, land, plants and animals, recycling, transportation or energy.

Application forms are available by calling (602) 240-2408 or can be downloaded online at www.valleyforward.org. The deadline for submissions is 4 p.m., December 7, 2007. Recipients will be announced on or before January 11, 2008.

"Valley Forward recognizes that students are the environmental stewards of tomorrow," said Diane Brossart, president of Valley Forward. "However, teachers face challenges in the classroom with limited time and resources. We are committed to providing them with funding so they can educate our children about the natural environment and the immense challenges it faces."

The grant opportunity was recently announced at Valley Forward's EarthFest Educators Night, held in partnership with The Waste Management Charitable Foundation, Freescale Semiconductor and other event sponsors. Nearly 300 teachers attended the event, which included exhibits, activities and displays on environmental education resources for Arizona teachers.

In addition, Valley Forward's Online Environmental Resource Directory (www.valleyforward.org) features a comprehensive list of field trip opportunities, curriculum, classroom speakers and related materials for teachers.

For more than 38 years, Valley Forward has been bringing business and civic leaders together to convene thoughtful public dialogue on regional issues and promote cooperative efforts to improve the environment and livability of Valley communities.