Nov. 11, 2008
Wisconsin students present energy
projects at Governor’s High School Conference
“Student Power: Conserving Your Future with Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy,” is the theme for the 2008 Governor’s
High School Conference on the Environment to be held at the
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Wednesday,
November 12.
More than 300 students and teachers will learn about energy
efficiency, renewable energy, and careers in energy. The
conference will showcase what students throughout the state
are doing to manage energy both at school and in their homes.
The conference will be held in the Dreyfus University Center.
Mary Schlaefer, executive director of the Wisconsin Energy
Conservation Corporation (WECC), will present the keynote
address at 9:15 a.m. , student exhibits will be on display
from noon – 12:45 p.m., and Ben Nusz, renewable energy
technician instructor at Midstate Technical College, will
give the afternoon address. UWSP Chancellor Linda Bunnell
and UW System Regent and Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Libby Burmaster, will provide introductions and welcomes.
Students will have the opportunity throughout the day to
listen to 20 presentations and visit exhibits on the topic
of energy resource management. Speakers include energy resource
professionals and student presenters who will highlight
projects implemented at their schools. Presentation topics
include bioenergy, energy costs of food production, school
energy audits and renewable energy technologies. Participants
will use this information to conduct projects in their schools,
homes and communities that help reduce energy consumption and
costs and help protect the environment. With the help of Wisconsin
Public Service and UWSP, the conference will be powered by 100
percent NatureWise clean, green energy.
According to Sunshine Buchholz, conference coordinator,
this year’s conference has had more interest than any past
conference with 41 schools represented and 12 schools turned
away because of space limitations. Students and teachers
received financial support to attend the conference from
their school’s energy providers, the Wisconsin Environmental
Education Board, and environmental organizations around
the state.
“The purpose of the conference is to provide motivated high
school students with a leadership opportunity to share
their research with peers and network with energy resource
professionals from state and national programs,” said
Buchholz. “A large focus of the day is helping students
understand that they can make a difference in their community
and state by becoming involved in wise energy resource
management decisions.”
The Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE)
at UWSP has hosted the conference since 1992. This is the
sixth year the governor has sponsored the event.
Complete conference information is on the Web at
www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/youthconference/index.htm
High schools taking part in the conference include:
- Barron High School
- Bruce High School
- Chilton High School
- Conserve School-Land O’ Lakes
- De Soto High School
- Deerfield High School
- Denmark High School
- DePere High School
- Dundee Crown High School-Illinois
- Fond du Lac High School
- Homestead High School-Mequon
- Jefferson High School
- Kaukauna High School
- Kimberly High School
- Lincoln High School-Wisconsin Rapids
- Lodi High School
- Malcolm Shabazz High School-Madison
- Manitowoc Lutheran High School
- Marinette High School
- Marshfield High School
- McFarland High School
- Memorial High School-Madison
- Merrill High School
- Monona Grove High School
- Newman Catholic High School-Wausau
- Oregon High School
- Pardeeville High School
- Pittsville High School
- Port Washington High School
- Princeton High School
- Saint Catherine’s High School-Racine
- Seymour High School
- Southwestern High School, Hazel Green
- Stevens Point Area Senior High School
- Sun Prairie High School
- Tomahawk High School
- Wausau East High School
- Wausau West High School
- West Allis Central High School
- Westfield High School
- Xavier Catholic High School-Appleton
