Exeter, NH (January 29, 2008)—For the third consecutive year, Phillips Exeter Academy and more than 30 private independent East Coast schools have joined forces to combat global warming by participating in a month-long energy conservation competition known as the Green Cup Challenge. The energy challenge kicks off Monday, January 28, and involves schools from nine states—potentially affecting more than 20,000 students, faculty, staff and school community members through February 24.

Activities during the energy conservation contest include: a “Focus the Nation” roundtable discussion with industry experts and advocates; dining by candlelight; a student video competition; a movie series; a speaker series; a trivia night; a Green Cup Pledge; and a forum with PEA faculty on global warming. Separate energy conservation competitions between selected dormitories and the off-campus community will be held, and prizes will be awarded. The contest is aimed at making students, faculty and staff aware of their use of electricity and helping them find ways to conserve. This year, participating schools will collectively work to reduce their electricity consumption by 10 percent. The goal is to educate the community about the impact of environmental and economic choice and to reduce campus emissions of greenhouse gasses. Members of each school community will be encouraged to use less energy by: turning off computers, monitors, lights and appliances when not in use; hanging out clothes to dry instead of using dryers; turning down thermostats; and taking shorter, cooler showers.

This year, participating schools include: Berkshire School, in Sheffield, MA; Brooks School, North Andover, MA; Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, CT; Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT; Darrow School, New Lebanon, NY; Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA; Eaglebrook School, Deerfield, MA; The Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, CT; Green Mountain Valley School, Waitsfield, VT; Governors Academy, Byfield, MA; Groton School, Groton, MA; The Hill School, Pottstown, PA; Holderness School, Holderness, NH; The Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT; The Kent School, Kent, CT; The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, NJ; Maine Coast Semester, Wiscasset, ME; Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, PA; Millbrook School, Millbrook, NY; Miss Porter’s School, Farmington, CT; Northfield Mt. Hermon School, Northfield, MA; Phillips Academy, Andover, MA; Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH; Proctor Academy, Andover, NH; The Putney School, Putney, VT; St. George’s School, Newport, RI; Stoneleigh-Burnham, Greenfield, MA; St. Andrew’s School, Middletown, DE; St. Paul’s School, Concord, NH; Westminster School, Simsbury, CT; Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Wilbraham, MA; The Williston Northampton School, East Hampton, MA; and Worcester Academy, Worcester, MA.

“The Green Cup Challenge has evolved quickly ... into a more sophisticated educational outreach program. Now it’s more than an educational event on campus; it’s a series of fun and challenging events that stretch beyond the walls of Exeter and into the lives of 32 different school communities. Today, we estimate the GCC will educate, engage and impact more than 20,000 people," says PEA Sustainability Coordinator, Jennifer Wilhelm. “Instead of simply asking students to turn off lights, we are supporting positive behavior changes by infusing global warming education into every aspect of our daily lives.”

Phillips Exeter Academy is a coeducational, independent preparatory school that was founded in 1781 and originated the system of instruction known as Harkness teaching in 1931. In the spirit of its charter to foster both goodness and knowledge, a Phillips Exeter Academy education will now be free to any admitted student whose family income is $75,000 or less. Committed to educational excellence, the school meets all demonstrated financial aid needs of its admitted students, making the Academy effectively “need blind.” The diverse student body comes from a wide variety of geographic, economic, racial and religious backgrounds, approximately from 45 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and 23 foreign countries.