Promote Student Energy Agency with Renew Our Schools | |
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One way students can have agency over their school’s role in climate change is investigating their building’s energy consumption and leading the effort to develop an energy policy for their school.
“Structuring climate change education around climate solutions is an effective way to both engage students and ease their anxiety about our planet’s future,” said Wendy Stelzer, KEEP Outreach Specialist. “What makes Renew Our Schools so great is that by focusing on their own school, students can play an active role in guiding and monitoring local, solution and science-based carbon reducing strategies.”
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As part of the competition, a datalogger is installed on the school’s electric utility meter to provide real-time access to energy usage data. At the start of the competition, a KEEP Outreach Specialist and a Focus on Energy Advisor come to the school to show students how to complete an energy audit of their school building with professional-quality energy measurement tools – light meters, watt meters and Infrared thermometers.
Students develop energy goals and ultimately an energy conservation policy based on the audit and datalogger information.
To participate, there is an upfront $250 enrollment fee and the cost to install the datalogger. The entire enrollment fee and up to $1,200 of datalogger installation costs are reimbursed to schools after the completion of the competition.
“Usually there is no net cost to schools to participate although we always advise getting datalogger installation quotes so there are no surprises,” said Stelzer.
Schools keep the datalogger and their set of energy audit tools after the competition.
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“Schools find they can easily complete all six tasks with about an hour of engagement a week during the competition,” said Stelzer. “Of course, completing additional School Energy Actions will gain you more points, improving your chance at winning the competition.”
Teachers can seamlessly integrate Renew Our Schools into the classroom curriculum of a science, technology education, agricultural education or environmental education course. Another option is adoption of this climate solution by an extracurricular club, such as a green team, eco club or student council.
Curious about the experience of other Wisconsin schools that have participated in Renew Our Schools? Click below and follow the “See participating Wisconsin Schools” link. The interest list and enrollment link is also found there.
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Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities | |
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• Renewable Energy Education: KidWind Educator Workshop | Choose one of three dates
8 a.m. - 2 p.m., August 22 | Cleveland
9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., October 3 | Ashland
8 a.m. - 2 p.m., October 24 | Menomonie
• Renewable Energy Education: Solar Energy Lessons | 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., September 26 | Fennimore
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It’s time to start planning for the fall round of Green Team Mini-Grants!
While these student-run grants are an important opportunity for young people to take the lead in planning and implementing projects to reduce their school’s carbon footprint, educators are a critical element of making students aware of the grant, encouraging them to apply for it, and finding time for students to work together on implementing it.
Whether it’s a project to make the school more energy efficient, educate classmates about an environmental issue, or come up with their own creative way to reduce emissions, encourage your students to submit a project idea for a Green Team Mini-Grant!
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Nominate someone for Energy Educator of the Year! | |
KEEP is looking for nominations for the Wisconsin Energy Educator of the Year Award. Nominate yourself or others for this award by October 25, 2024.
The award recognizes and rewards exemplary kindergarten through high school, formal and non-formal energy educators in Wisconsin who have made energy education a priority in their teaching and/or community outreach initiatives.
Awardees will be selected by a review panel and will receive $1,000 for their school and recognition at the WAEE Celebration of Excellence Awards Ceremony.
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Allow us to reintroduce ourselves | |
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Describe your role
As KEEP's Program manager I get to be a jill-of-all-trades and maintain a birds-eye view of all of KEEP’s operations. I am also the lead KEEP staff for adoption of the DPI Energy Career Pathway which means I get to collaborate with KEEP’s utility funders, Wisconsin colleges and universities, various education partners around Wisconsin, and school districts across the state.
Why energy education?
I am trained as a plant ecologist with a focus in rare plant population ecology. Once I understood that climate change is one of the greatest impacts to natural ecosystems and that energy extraction, combustion and distribution are among the greatest drivers of climate change, it was easy to pivot directions and focus on energy. Ecology and energy and both driven by understanding systems and being comfortable looking at and questioning data. Energy education is ecological conservation. Helping educators, students, and the public experience these connections is what motivates me as an energy educator!
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Describe your role
As KEEP's Youth and Community Engagement Specialist, I support youth and educators in Renew Our Schools, Solar Olympics and Meter Hero. I also bring renewable energy and energy conservation outreach to community field days, sustainability fairs, nature centers and STEAM events. Another facet of my job involves choosing and showcasing Wisconsin’s Energy Educators of the Year (It’s the toughest part of the job because I have met so many fantastic energy educators!).
Why energy education?
Energy, specifically electricity production, accounts for about 25% of our current greenhouse gas sources. That’s a huge area of opportunity that K-12 students don’t normally study in school. I want to introduce youth and educators to the energy field and enrich their energy education so we can reduce that percentage.
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Describe your role
As KEEP's Education Outreach Specialist, I teach energy education courses, workshops, and trainings across the state. I also update our curriculum and find new ways to bring energy education to teachers and students in Wisconsin.
Why energy education?
I took my first KEEP class in the early 2000s during my graduate work at UWSP. I remember being fascinated by the wide range of ways that energy is woven into every aspect of our lives, and the effects that our energy extraction and use has on the planet. When the opportunity came up to introduce these concepts to others, I was happy to come on board.
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Reflections on Summer Institute for Climate Change Education | |
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KEEP co-hosted the Wisconsin cohort of 29 educators who attended Climate Generation’s Summer Institute for Climate Change Education, July 15-17.
This was KEEP’s second year collaborating with state and regional partners to recruit K-12 formal and non-formal educators to participate in the three-day online institute. Funding from the Wisconsin DNR provided full scholarships to more than half of the participants, making the conference affordable and accessible to all educators.
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"This was a great conference and I learned lots to use in my future classroom." - Pre-service teacher participant
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Nine of the cohort participants were also Wisconsin Climate Fellows who presented their Wisconsin-themed climate change education lessons that can be accessed through the Wisconsin Climate Education Hub. Educators left the institute connected to their Wisconsin colleagues and loaded with inspiration and resources to use in their classrooms. | |
"Lots of grant ideas and things to include in my curriculum, including technology." - Sheboygan teacher participant
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The institute has started a ripple-effect with one participant from Lake Geneva committing to “connect with other teachers in [their] building to share these resources and begin brainstorming how [they] can get started!”.
Information about scholarships and registration for the 2025 institute will be shared in the KEEP newsletters next spring. Stay tuned!
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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. | | | | |
