After four years of planning and ten months of
construction the Sultana Education Foundation will open its new Education Center to the public on Friday, September 2. An official ribbon cutting ceremony featuring
Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, Deputy Chief of Staff for Maryland Governor Hogan, Senator
Stephen Hershey, Delegate Jay Jacobs, Kent County Commissioners President William
Pickrum and Chestertown Mayor Chris Cerino will take place at 4:00pm followed by a public open house from 5:00-8:00pm as part of the Downtown Chestertown Association's monthly "First Fridays."

The Sultana Education Foundation is a leading provider of Maryland State Department of Education certified programs in History and Environmental Science. The
Foundation's programs reach more than 12,000 students and teachers from 15 Maryland counties annually. The addition of this new facility will allow the Foundation to
significantly expand the scope of its programs and ultimately double the number of students it serves.

With over 9,000 square feet of space, Sultana's Education Center features a variety of specialized teaching areas, including a science-focused Wet Lab, a Geography Classroom with the region's largest GIS (Geographic Information Systems) projector, an extensive Project Shop for the maintenance of the Foundation's schooner SULTANA and other hands-on projects, a 100-person capacity
Lecture Hall, and office space for the Foundation's 15-person staff. The design of Sultana's Education Center reflects the central role that environmental education and preservation have in the Foundation's mission. Following commissioning this Fall, the Center will be certified as only the second
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum building on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED rating system allows for independent certification that a building implements measurable, positive steps toward
protecting and improving human health and the environment. Benefits of LEED certification include reduced operating expenses, enhanced water and energy
conservation, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and a healthier work and programming environment. The Center's green features will also become an important teaching tool in many of the Foundation's programs.