OHIO PRIMARY LEVEL

Our study of energy was divided into three areas. In the classroom, we explored what energy is and how we use it every day.

Around Annehurst, we hosted “Louie, Louie”. This helped us learn how to be safe around electricity. We also began a service project that taught us about energy consumption around the world.

We were also challenged to spread what we had learned throughout the community. Several students created posters to show ways that we can conserve energy.

OHIO ELEMENTARY LEVEL

National School of the Year

Three Rivers Middle Schol
8575 Bridgetown Road
Cleves, OH 45002
(513) 467-3500
www.threeriversschools.org
Project Title: Three Rivers Middle School Energy Club
Project Advisers: Tina Cole and Patti Detmer
Student Directors: Emily Pohlmeyer, Sarah Russo, Haley Kolb,
Sarah Buzek, Tamara Creek, Kayla Ryan and Olivia Pohlmann

Our Energy Club this year was very productive. We did news program
on our school’s Video Clipboard. Professor Know-It-All taught an
energy lesson for the audience. We had a weekly bumper stumper
with prizes. We prepared a script and picked a new professor each
week.

We also initiated a recycling program at our school. We collected
and recycled aluminum cans and plastic bottles. We also put up
recycling tips on our school’s marquis. The Energy Club also put
tips on two bulletin boards in our school cafeteria above where we
collect our cans.

This year we held an Energy Carnival. All the fifth graders participated
and had a great time. The teams that scored the most points
received a prize for their accomplishments. We went to the Miami
Fort Power Plant in North Bend, Ohio. The Energy Club took a tour
and learned a lot about turbines, coal and electricity.
The Energy Club also had the school participate in a bookmark
contest. We had a winner from each grade—fifth through eighth.
We printed little light bulbs from the computer and put energy tips on
them. We put them all around the school. The Energy Club created
posters that we put up on restaurants bulletin boards. One of the
people in the Energy Club also handed out some flyers around her
street talking about our recycling program at school.
The Energy Club this year did something really special—we made
our own website. We have received a couple of emails from people
who think what we have been doing so far is a great thing and they
want us to keep up the good work.

Overall, our group worked very hard on our projects and scrapbook.
In the end, it was all worthwhile and we hope that in the future our
world will be a better place.

OHIO JUNIOR LEVEL

NATIONAL FINALIST

This year the Generators were an energizing force behind the Heritage Middle School energy team. We chose to undertake activities that generated energy information throughout the school, home and Westerville community. The Generators chose energy leadership and knowledge activities as the focus of our team.

Energy leadership activities began with an energy leadership summit, where the Generators practiced leadership skills and participated in energy activities. To meet our energy goals, we facilitated such activities as hosting an energy fair at a local elementary school, training sixth grade leaders (who later taught the sixth grade science classes about the Energy Bike and forms of energy) about the Energy Bike, conducting home lighting surveys and home energy education, and sponsoring an energy education day at a local restaurant where customers used student-made energy placemats while members of the energy team hosted an energy education table outside the restaurant for customers.

Students even spent a day of their spring break at a local grocery store educating shoppers about energy topics. Speakers, field trips and our own energy activities increased our energy knowledge and enabled the Generators to successfully generate an abundance of energy information.

OHIO SENIOR LEVEL

NATIONAL FINALIST

The William Henry Harrison High School Ohio Energy Project (OEP) group found that few people even knew that there were different types of energy. With this disappointing information, we thought of what we could do to educate the community about energy and how to conserve it. We started our project for energy after becoming involved with OEP on our trip to the Energy Summit in Troy, Ohio.

We went to elementary schools and churches and performed at events for school kids and their parents. On top of our performances of the different types of energy and our games that demonstrated the types of energy, we designed a pamphlet to distribute at the local Bigg’s grocery store and “Daily Energy Fun Sheets” to distribute at the local public library to get our message to the general public.

Using before and after tests to estimate if our information was sinking in to our audience, we found that the majority of our audiences did have improved test scores after they received our information.

Our group is confident that our attempts to educate the community made a difference. We expect people to use our information, especially with the country being so worried about the current energy problems.

OHIO SPECIAL CATEGORY

NATIONAL FINALIST

Westerville City Schools
313 South Otterbein Avenue
Westerville, OH 43081
(614) 797-6816
www.westerville.k12.oh.us
Project Title: Westerville Energy Education Partnership
Project Adviser: Chris Doolittle
Student Director: Hannah Wilson
 
Westerville City Schools, the Westerville Electric Division, the City of Westerville, and the Ohio Energy Project (OEP) continue a multifaceted approach to energy awareness and education that reaches 100 percent of our schools, with a total of 23 buildings (elementary, middle, and high), and our community.

The City of Westerville and the Westerville Electric Division are committed to helping the schools with energy education by providing funding. OEP provides training and ongoing support for teachers and students. Materials from NEED are used to assist with lessons and instruction.

We start by training both first and second grade teachers at a one-day workshop. Once school begins, we train high school student leaders from all three high schools. These high school students host an Energy Fair for fifth graders from all 16 elementary schools. These elementary students pass these activities and training on to other grade levels within their buildings. We also hold a middle school Energy Summit. At this program, cadres of students from all four middle schools are trained very much like the high school students. These student leaders teach other middle school students in their buildings.

The “students teaching students” model continues to be effective and exciting for our district at all levels. This collaborative program helps us to create a strong energy conscious community.

OHIO SPECIAL CATEGORY

NATIONAL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

It is our hope as educators to reach the spirit of the learned through hands-on interactions with the world around them. By utilizing NEED’s curriculum through the Ohio Energy Project (OEP), workshops and the Energy Bike, we are able to generate excitement in learning energy. Whether it is through conservation of resources and recycling, energy circuit boards to stimulate learning, or the popularity of the Energy Bike and its multitude of teaching applications, New Albany School District is committed to engaging the learners of today and preparing them to be life-long learners of tomorrow.

We are taking a district approach to learning and developing our learners into energy smart consumers and leaders of tomorrow. By encouraging a kids teaching kids approach, our students gain the highest level of learning. This unique approach to programming allows students to share their expertise and enthusiasm for energy lessons. We continue to change and evolve our curriculum to meet the needs of every student. We are thankful for program support that OEP provides for teachers in Ohio. Education is no longer contained within the walls of our building, but is instead reaching out into the communities and city that support all members as learners.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with NEED, OEP and the greater Columbus community.