We’re excited to celebrate with all the students and teachers who use energy education as a way to make the world a better place. Read on for more about the KEEP 2026 Energy Educators of the Year, plus the results of the 2026 KidWind State Challenge! | | De Pierola and Gleason named KEEP’s 2026 Energy Educators of the Year! | | |
Each year KEEP highlights the outstanding energy education work of educators across the state through its Energy Educator of the Year award.
KEEP is proud to announce Diana De Pierola, bilingual project coordinator at Focus on Energy, and Tina Gleason, STEM teacher and green team advisor at Golda Meir School in Milwaukee, as its 2026 Energy Educators of the Year.
They will each be honored at the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education’s Celebration of Excellence awards, and will receive $1,000 to further their energy education efforts.
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Guided by equity and inclusion, Diana De Pierola meets communities where they are and builds lasting relationships rooted in respect and accessibility.
A former classroom teacher, De Pierola brings clarity, cultural relevance, and compassion to expanding energy literacy and access for Wisconsin’s Latino and Spanish‑speaking communities. She translates complex energy concepts into practical, trusted guidance that helps families and businesses reduce energy use and connect with programs they may have never known existed.
De Pierola has helped translate nearly the entire Focus on Energy program website into Spanish, ensured residential materials are fully bilingual, responded to customer inquiries in Spanish, and strengthened relationships with Latinx community organizations and Spanish‑speaking contractors. She has also expanded outreach through Spanish‑language media, including La Movida Radio, and by adapting KEEP’s educational resources to better serve diverse audiences.
Through partnerships with schools, nonprofits, food pantries, and organizations such as the Wisconsin Latino Chamber of Commerce and Centro Hispano, De Pierola has delivered workshops and presentations across the state. Her work has led to increased participation in Focus on Energy programs, higher engagement with Spanish‑language resources, and greater trust in public benefit programs—especially among first‑ and second‑generation immigrant families navigating Wisconsin’s extreme seasons.
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Through passion, persistence, and a deep commitment to her students, Tina Gleason has built a powerful culture of student-led energy literacy that reaches far beyond her classroom and into the wider Wisconsin community.
As advisor to Golda Meir’s middle and high school Green Teams, Gleason has led students through hands-on, real-world energy learning, including two years in the Renew Our Schools energy competition - winning first place in both years. Students conducted school energy audits, researched energy careers and renewable resources, developed energy-saving habits, and shared their work through presentations, public service announcements, posters, and school wide campaigns. Through their Renew Our School monetary prize, Gleason and her students invested in more energy reducing efforts in their school including purchasing smart power strips.
| | Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities | | Students excel at Wisconsin KidWind! | | |
Teams of students from across the state demonstrated creativity, collaboration, and clean‑energy know‑how at the Wisconsin State KidWind Challenge held Saturday, March 7, in Madison.
KidWind empowers students to apply STEM skills, explore renewable energy solutions, and build confidence as future innovators.
"It was such an inspiration to see so many different projects all focused on one main goal,” said Paige from Pine River Homestead Academy.
| | Students from Pine River Homestead Academy competed on March 7th at the Wisconsin KidWind Challenge in Madison. | | |
"What a fantastic opportunity that KEEP and KidWind are giving to so many youth! It definitely inspired our team when they found out they received a KEEP grant to go towards their solar project," said Craig, Pine River Homestead Academy team advisor. "There were so many lessons learned that go well beyond just green energy. Thank you KEEP and KidWind! We're already looking forward to next year!"
KEEP congratulates all teams for their outstanding achievements.
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Wisconsin KidWind Challenge Results
Solar Division
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1st Place – Elementary Solar: Darlington Solar Eclipse
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1st Place – Middle School Solar: Driftless Dynamos (4‑H group, Stoddard)
Wind Division
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1st Place – Elementary Wind: Madinah Bright Sparks (Madison)
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2nd Place – Elementary Wind: Madinah Wind Wizards (Madison)
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1st Place – Middle School Wind: Darlington Wind Storm
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2nd Place – Middle School Wind: Driftless Dynamos (4‑H group, Stoddard)
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3rd Place – Middle School Wind: Darlington Red Ryders
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1st Place – High School Wind: Mauston Sigma
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2nd Place – High School Wind: Onalaska Ohms
Special Awards
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Spirit of WI KidWind: Sun Prairie Wind Warriors (family group) and Darlington Windy 5
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Best Instant Challenge: Darlington TEHK
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Innovation Award: Pine River Homestead Academy (homeschool group, Pine River)
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First- and second-place teams from the state challenge have the opportunity to participate in the World KidWind Challenge, which invites top teams from across the U.S. and world and will be held in Madison this year, from May 17–20, 2026.
Beyond competition, KidWind Worlds offers students the chance to connect with peers from other states, attend fun and engaging events, and explore pathways to continue their interest in STEM and clean‑energy careers.
KEEP staff, who assist in judging the state challenge each year, are looking forward to volunteering at Worlds. Educators interested in volunteering at the event should email zella@kidwind.org for more information.
If you're not competing, but would like to bring students to experience the 2026 World KidWind Challenge, email zella@kidwind.org to arrange a 2-hour time slot between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. May 18th or 19th or come on your own after school to view wind turbines and solar homes, speak with student teams, and watch the wind tunnel and solar testing.
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Other Upcoming Opportunities | |
- Join KEEP at Wisconsin EcoLatinos' Bilingual Conservation Fair, ¡El Día de la Tierra! from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, in Madison.
- May will be Clean Air Month, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is inviting 3rd - 5th grade students to submit poems and riddles about the importance of clean air. Entries are due May 1.
- KEEP and CESA 12 have partnered to bring K-5 classrooms Cool Career Day, a day of free virtual career exploration, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
- Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Education (WAAE) Professional Development Conference is June 28-July 2 in Pewaukee. We hope you will join us at 1:15 p.m. on July 1 for our AgriSolar Innovations: Exploring the Dual-use of Land for Agriculture and Energy session.
- CREATE is running a Solar Institute at Madison Area Technical College from July 7-9, and a Solar + Storage Institute at Madison Area Technical College from July 21-23. Both include hotel, two meals a day, a stipend, and equipment awards. To browse all upcoming CREATE energy workshops, visit their events page.
| | Did someone forward you this email? | | The KEEP program is funded with generous support by Alliant Energy, Madison Gas and Electric, We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, WPPI Energy, and Xcel Energy. | | | | |
