School & Community Programs teach safety and energy efficiency

 

The employees and directors of Consolidated Electric Cooperative put safety at the top of their list of priorities. In addition to the safety of their employees, they want to do what they can to make sure to help keep their members and general public safe when it comes to electricity as well.

In effort to teach school-age children the dangers of electricity and the importance of its wise use, Consolidated Electric Cooperative partners with Central Electric Power Cooperative Education Specialists, Keith Mueller and Joe Schmitz to bring Missouri standards-based curriculum into area classrooms. The electrical safety and energy efficiency presentations are an excellent 1-hour classroom experience and can of course be modified for shorter or longer events. 

Electrical safety presentations include a table-top display that helps demonstrate general information about generation, transmission, substations, transformers, accidents involving power lines and electricity in general.  Keith's educational background and high energy captivates kids attention as they learn about protons, electrons, conductors, insulators, step-potential and so much more! This program is most often geared toward children in grades third through sixth but can be adapted to accommodate others. 

CEPC Education Specialists have also worked to develop a Missouri standards-based energy efficiency program based curriculum for the classroom. This program is designed primarily for fifth through eighth grades but may be adapted to fit other audiences. The energy efficiency program includes education about traditional energy sources (coal, natural gas) and renewable sources (wind, solar and hydro). Joe also references the numerous ways kids use electricity in their lives such as with lights, TVs, mobile devices, appliances and gaming stations. Joe uses his previous classroom experience to engage his audience through questions and participation while this program provides education on energy conservation and awareness. 

In addition to the table-top and energy efficiency programs, Consolidated Electric Cooperative linemen will also provide electrical safety demonstrations for youth and community groups. Using a larger scale mobile trailer with real electrical distribution equipment, linemen introduce the equipment on the lines, explain how it works, tell what happens most often during an outage and how it is restored in addition to providing general electrical safety information. 

The electrical safety and energy efficiency programs are not solely for schools. If you are part of a youth or community group with an interest in either program, they are adaptable and informative for all ages. Call us to schedule a presentation for your group, 573-581-3630.