Smart savings
Eighteen CMS schools participate in Energy WISE program
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has teamed up with EduCon Educational Consulting to pilot an energy
savings program at 18 schools.
The program is called Saving Energy and the Environment or Energy WISE. It kicked off in September
of 2014. Each school created an Energy WISE club. Led by a teacher, the clubs consist of about 10 students
who take an active role in saving energy and money. Students identify and reduce energy waste within
the school building and conduct awareness activities to educate the community about the importance of
conservation.
“This is really good for our students,” said Wendy Vickers, a Joseph W. Grier science teacher. “Teachers are
enthusiastic because the students are enthusiastic. It’s an awesome opportunity to bring the curriculum to life
and for students to make positive changes in their school.”
The students participate in routine patrols throughout the buildings, identifying wasteful conditions such
as lights or equipment left on when not in use. Students leave a ticket as a friendly reminder to work on energy conservation. They also leave thank you notes
in locations where students and staff are doing a great job.
“They are taking ownership of what needs to happen and when they see teachers making changes because of things they have asked them to do, it’s a real
boost to the students’ self-esteem,” said Theresa Townsend, Joseph W. Grier principal. “We are so proud of their efforts and the wonderful job they are doing.”
Initial energy audits were conducted in each school by EduCon staff to provide suggestions on where students could focus their efforts to achieve the
greatest amount of savings. At a recent meeting, the Energy Wise club at Joseph W. Grier reviewed the work done prior to the 2014 winter break to see if it
had made a difference in energy use. The club used specific shut-down methods for the break. They reviewed the charts and graphs that showed their methods
effectiveness.
“Students are able to see how their actions saved electricity during a time when no one would be in the school,” said Andy LaRowe, EduCon president.
“Seeing the actual energy use is a unique aspect of the program.”
As part of the overall project, CMS has installed a web-based technology that allows real-time monitoring of energy use at each of the 18 schools.
“At any given point during the day or evening, at home or while at school, a student or parent can log onto the website from any computer or mobile
device and see how much energy the school is using and then compare it to different time periods,” said LaRowe.
Various activities such as poster contests, assemblies, community outreach and energy competitions also support conservation efforts.
“I love this club,” said Sinai Teshome, a fifth-grader in the Energy WISE club at Joseph W. Grier. “It has actually helped me in science class a lot. It’s fun
when you can see the results.”
The participating high schools are Independence, Butler and Rocky River. The participating middle schools are Mint Hill, Albemarle Road, Crestdale,
Northeast and Northridge. The participating elementary schools are Albemarle Road, J.H. Gunn, Piney Grove, Bain, Reedy Creek, Matthews, Crown Point,
Lebanon Road, Clear Creek and Joseph W. Grier Academy.
Parent Teacher Magazine • May/June 2015 • 5