RICHMOND, Va. – Dominion, one of the nation’s largest energy producers, is accepting applications for the Dominion Educational Grants partnership program for the 12th consecutive year. The program helps schools in Dominion service areas or near Dominion facilities strengthen math and science skills for students in grades K-12.

The Dominion Foundation will provide a total of nearly $300,000 to be awarded to schools and educational institutions that submit successful grant proposals.  The grants range from a few hundred dollars to $10,000. Applications must be submitted through the company’s Web site, www.dom.com.  The application deadline is May 1.

Schools and educational institutions in Dominion service areas in North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, and near Dominion facilities in Texas are invited to apply again this year. For 2007, the program has been expanded to include areas of Maryland and New England that are near Dominion facilities. Those areas are:

• In Maryland: Calvert County, Charles County and St. Mary’s County.
• In Connecticut: Colchester, East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Old Lyme, Salem, Stonington and Waterford.
• In Massachusetts: Fall River, Lynn, Marblehead, Salem and Somerset.
• In Rhode Island: Providence

The grants, which supplement the regular math and science curriculum in the various school systems, encourage innovation and creativity for students, teachers and parents.

Recipients for the 2006-2007 school year included:

• The Girl Scout Commonwealth Council of Virginia that was awarded $5,000 for a program to teach high school and middle school girls the fundamentals of how electricity works, how to use electricity safely and how electrical production affects the environment.
• A North Carolina elementary school that was awarded $2,600 to sponsor a science exploration night every six weeks for students in grades K-5.
• An Ohio school that received $4,000 to teach biology students the basics of molecular genetics.
• A Texas middle school that was awarded $3,000 to study force, energy and motion by designing and building projects.
• A Pennsylvania school for exceptional children that received $870 to assist students with developmental disabilities, including those children on the Autism spectrum.

To access the online application and for details on the program, visit www.dom.com, enter keyword "grants."  To reach Dominion’s Educational Partnership coordinator, call toll free 1-800-730-7217.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy, with an energy portfolio of about 26,300 megawatts of generation.  Dominion also serves retail energy customers in 11 states.  For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.

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