Avista Kids program donates $11,700 to classrooms across the Northwest

January 29, 2015: Avista Utilities is helping to educate elementary school students across the Northwest with the Avista Kids program. In a recent competition, 2,633 elementary school students learned how to be more energy efficient and be safe around energy in their daily lives through a set of youth curriculum developed for the classroom. The 117 teachers who participated will each receive a $100 grant from Avista to use in their classrooms.

As the region's largest energy provider, Avista is committed to educating the next generation of energy consumers about how they can conserve resources. The utility developed Avista Kids with learning materials to introduce simple but vital concepts to grade-schoolers. In this recent competition, youth learned the importance of turning off lights and electronics, being safe around energy, and where energy resources come from.

"With everything available today that takes power to operate, young kids are a large consumer of energy without even realizing it," said Levi Westra, Engineer at Avista. "Teaching them the basics and instilling good habits early on, makes for a lifetime as a responsible energy consumer."

Avista engages children in these education efforts through a fun and exciting website with the use of Wattson, Avista's "Energy Watch Dog". He can be found atavistakids.com where kids can explore his world, play games, download puzzles, all while learning how to be more energy efficient and be safe around energy. There are even fun lessons and activities grownups can do with kids, too. For more information, visitavistakids.com.
About Avista Utilities
AvistaUtilities is involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy. We provide energy services and electricity to 368,000 customers and natural gas to 325,000 customers in a service territory that covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.5 million.  Avista Utilities is an operating division ofAvista Corp. (NYSE: AVA). For more information, please visitwww.avistautilities.com.

The Avista logo is a trademark of Avista Corporation.


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