Intel Inc. Donates $5,000 to the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™

Intel, Inc., a leading producer of microchips, computing & communications products, has donated $5,000 to the Nicodemus Wilderness Project (NWP) as a gift to the Albuquerque community to improve, enhance and restore the local environment. The Intel in Your Community grant will fund NWP’s Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™. The objectives of the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™ are to elevate kids and teens into leadership roles by engaging them in environmental cleanup projects, empower youth to rebuild the environmental and social well-being of their communities, and improve local living conditions for both citizens and wildlife.

Albuquerque, NM (PRWEB) August 6, 2006 -- Intel, Inc., a leading producer of microchips, computing & communications products, has donated $5,000 to the Nicodemus Wilderness Project (NWP) as a gift to the Albuquerque community to improve, enhance and restore the local environment. The Intel in Your Community grant will fund NWP’s Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™. The objectives of the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™ are to elevate kids and teens into leadership roles by engaging them in environmental cleanup projects, empower youth to rebuild the environmental and social well-being of their communities, and improve local living conditions for both citizens and wildlife.

"One of Albuquerque's gems is the beautiful natural environment that surrounds the city. Local mountains, mesas, and parks provide the local community with an outlet for biking, hiking, wildlife viewing and simply getting away from the urban pulse. However, without maintenance and education, this area would be loved to death," said Yih-Ming Hsu, Volunteer Program Manager of the Nicodemus Wilderness Project. "We are thrilled with Intel’s donation to the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™ as it will engage youth volunteers in working to restore of the grandeur of Albuquerque’s natural environment, which is an integral part of our community."

As part of the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™ (http://www.wildernessproject.org/volunteer_apprentice_ecologist), youth complete their community environmental service project and then write an essay about their experience. Volunteer project essays and photos are published on the NWP website as a permanent example for other young people to follow. In 2005, NWP certified 928 volunteers as Apprentice Ecologists. These young people, who represented 23 states and five foreign countries, collectively completed 4,640 hours of service to reduce waste (2,700 bags of litter weighing 28 tons) in the environment while beautifying their communities. The Intel in Your Community grant will allow NWP to purchase much needed supplies for youth volunteers to successfully complete their own environmental stewardship projects in New Mexico.

Intel’s commitment to youth and communities is expressed in their grant guidelines:
“Our primary giving focus is education; we have strong interest in supporting K-12/higher education and community programs that deliver the kind of educational opportunities that all students will need to prepare themselves to succeed in the 21st century.” Intel also strongly supports the responsible use of natural resources. One of its three guiding environmental, health and safety principles is to “Reduce the environmental footprint of our products, processes and operations.”

About Nicodemus Wilderness Project
The Nicodemus Wilderness Project is a 501(c)(3) publicly-supported nonprofit charitable organization whose mission is: To educate humanity -- especially our youth -- about the importance of protecting the wild lands and waters that sustain Earth's biodiversity and ecosystems by working together on environmental stewardship and conservation efforts. For more information, please visit the non profit's website at http://www.wildernessproject.org.

About Intel, Inc.
Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products, and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. For more information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.intel.com.

SOURCE: Nicodemus Wilderness Project.

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