Ameresco Engineers a Better Future for Youth

Ameresco in Partnership with Chance for Change  Awarded UIC Freshman and S.T.E.M. Camp Participant a College Scholarship

FRAMINGHAM, MA and CHICAGO, IL – August 28, 2013 – Ameresco, Inc., a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, in partnership with Chance for Change, announced today that together they awarded University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) S.T.E.M. camp participant and freshman at UIC, Savon Clark, a scholarship towards his college education in the engineering field. Clark was honored at the S.T.E.M. camp’s closing ceremony. The UIC S.T.E.M. camp is known for developing ‘the best and brightest,’ a majority who are Chicago Public School (CPS) students and are also residents of Chicago Housing Authority (CHA).

“I developed an interest in engineering during camp when we had to figure out how to design a fan while focusing on the different components to make it work,” stated scholarship recipient, Savon Clark. ”My interest also peaked at camp when I learned how Ameresco had to strategically figure out how to curb costs for light bills.”

A participant in the UIC S.T.E.M. camp since his freshman year at Lindblom Math and Science Academy, Clark said, “This is just a start for me. I’ve been given a unique opportunity and someone is investing in me, so I have to take it to campus and prove my worth.” Clark is one of 40 participants who participated in the annual program.

“We always knew Savon was going to college, and our goal was to get him through college without loans,” said Clark’s mother, Shavonne Clark. “This was one of the biggest burdens lifted from us.”

Ameresco has partnered with UIC for the past four years providing youth, particularly CHA residents, with opportunities to further their interests in science, technology, engineering, and math. “Ameresco is committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we do business,” said Louis P. Maltezos, Executive Vice President, Ameresco. “We are always in search of new talent to be a part of our team, and there’s no better way to ensure long-term success than to invest in education.”

With plans to obtain his engineering license and to one day be an entrepreneur, Savon Clark also wants to give back by mentoring other young people. He commented, “I want to tell people that you have to have faith in what you are going to do and the good things you’ve done. You have to believe that it will come full circle and someone is going to believe in you.” Clark’s father, Rodney Clark stated, “Listening to my son, I am inspired by knowing that at times when I thought he wasn’t listening, he actually was.”

Ameresco and UIC are proud to be part of educating and empowering S.T.E.M. innovators like Savon Clark for their future success.

Camp Scholarship – CHA

Founded in 2009, the UIC CHANCE for CHANGE Summer Youth S.T.E.M. Camp is a six-week on-site camp, in partnership with the UIC CHANCE Program, the UIC College of Engineering, the Chicago Housing Authority, and Ameresco, Inc. The camp has a rigorous academic curriculum that also exposes students to team-building exercises, a one-week overnight dormitory stay, and S.T.E.M. related field trips. Students participate in roundtable discussions to talk about the impact of S.T.E.M. disciplines in the world in which they live. The program is designed to identify and recruit academically talented students interested in the S.T.E.M. disciplines in order to prepare them for entry into related careers. For more information, visit www.chance.uic.edu (opens in new window).

About Ameresco, Inc.

Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. is a leading independent provider of comprehensive services, energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions for facilities throughout North America. Ameresco’s services include upgrades to a facility’s energy infrastructure and the development, construction and operation of renewable energy plants. Ameresco has successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible projects with federal, state and local governments, healthcare and educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers. With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA, Ameresco provides local expertise through its 66 offices in 33 states, five Canadian provinces and the United Kingdom. Ameresco has more than 900 employees. For more information, visit www.ameresco.com.