With the help of PPL Montana, students at Fergus High School will be able to enhance their earth science, biology and agricultural studies curriculum by studying the Big Spring Creek that adjoins school property.

The high school, in Lewistown, will receive a $1,500 Project Earth Environmental Education Grant to purchase water sampling and measurement kits and other equipment that will allow on-site studies of the creek. The school is one of nine grant winners this year receiving a total of more than $12,000 to support earth science programs.

"There are few things more important to our future than the environment and education," said Lisa Perry, PPL Montana’s manager of Community Affairs. "That's why we are so pleased to award competitive grants to teachers who create projects that provide a significant learning experience about the environment."

This is the first year that PPL Montana has offered the Project Earth Environmental Education Grants program. Teachers can receive grants for school projects that focus on issues such as watersheds and wetlands, air quality, renewable resources, energy conservation and the greening of schools.

The projects are designed to enhance established classroom curricula and academic standards, or support extracurricular activities of school organizations and clubs. PPL Montana employees chose this year’s winning projects.

"We salute the students and teachers of Fergus High School who are doing their part to promote a healthy environment in Montana for generations to come," Perry said.

PPL Montana sponsors the Environmental Education Grant program as part of PPL Project Earth, an initiative to educate the public about energy resources and the environment.