Staff Writer
ASHLAND – Nine of Tricia Bragan’s seventh-grade science students at Ashland Community Middle-High School recently claimed top honors in the junior level category of Maine Public Service Co.’s annual BE Energywise Program (BEEP) project competition.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
DURING A RECENT PIZZA PARTY hosted by Maine Public Service Co., nine of Tricia Bragan’s seventh-grade science students at Ashland Community Middle-High School accepted a first-place plaque in the junior level category of MPS’s annual BE Energywise Program (BEEP) project competition. The purpose of the program is to promote an energy conscious and educated society. The students did a number of energy activities including raising enough money to buy energy efficient light bulbs and give one to every family in the school and organizing Black Wednesdays where each classroom was encouraged to use half or no lights during the day. The students were also chosen as the 2009 Junior School Rookie of the Year in Maine and were a finalist for the Junior Level Rookie of the Year at the national level. Pictured at the pizza party were, front row, from left: Macie Bellanceau, Dianna Watt, Alexis Flewelling, Allyx Beaulier and Jessicca Johnson. Back row: Nancy Chandler, supervisor of conservation and education services for MPS; teacher Tricia Bragan, Fallyn Tardie, Tyler Chasse, Rachel Gillis and Kali Pelletier.
Which helps teachers and students achieve educational goals related to all disciplines including science, social students, math, drama, art, language arts and music.
The purpose of the program is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating networks of students, educators, and businesses to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs; to assist energy education educators by providing an educational program that is objective, competitive, and purposeful; to increase energy awareness in schools, homes, and communities; and to provide an opportunity for teachers and students to extend their energy knowledge to others through outreach activities to other students, their families and the community, and document those activities in scrapbook form.
According to Nancy Chandler, supervisor of conservation and education services for MPS, the students also were chosen as the 2009 Junior School Rookie of the Year in Maine and were a finalist for the Junior Level Rookie of the Year at the national level.
“At the beginning of the year, we sponsor an energy workshop for all students and teachers throughout Aroostook County at the University of Maine at Presque Isle,” said Chandler. “I tell them about the program, and we do energy projects, games and activities all day long. They then go back to their school and do energy projects during the school year, and then they put all of what they’ve done into the form of a scrapbook and present the scrapbook to Maine Public Service.
“The scrapbook is then judged at the local level, and if I think they’re good, I send them to the national level,” she said. “For winning at the state level, the Ashland students received $350 from MPS to use for either the classroom or the school, a pizza party, plaque, and each student received a certificate.”
Students also received a Maine Public Service pen and LED nightlight.
Bragan said her students met weekly and did a number of creative energy activities.
“The entire seventh grade made placemats and we made photocopies of them and took them to the Ashland Motor Lodge,” she said. “They all had energy-saving tips on them.
“They also raised money and got some energy efficient lightbulbs to hand out to the families of the middle school,” said Bragan. “Some of our $350 monetary award will be used to purchase more bulbs to finish that up by the end of the school year. We would like to continue handing out additional light bulbs next year to other grades that didn’t receive them this year.”
The students were just as excited about the hands-on projects they did around school.
“Around Christmastime, we gave out candy canes to everybody in the middle school and to the staff, and they had energy-saving tips on them,” said student Rachel Gillis. “Tips like, ‘Turn off the lights when you leave a room’ or ‘Shut the water off when you’re not using it.’ Simple reminders.”
“We also decided to raise enough money to buy energy efficient lightbulbs and give one to every family in the school … pre-K to 12,” said student Alexis Flewelling. “We raised the money by selling lollipops for 75 cents a piece.”
The students also organized Black Wednesdays.
“There’s a Black Friday for shopping, so we thought we’d do Black Wednesdays,” Gillis said. “We either reduced the lights or turned all of them off throughout the whole day. We did them every Wednesday. We sent letters to other schools around The County and we got them to do it with us.”
“If it was a cloudy day, the teacher might shut one section of the lights off,” said Flewelling. “Every little bit helps.”
Bragan said she was thrilled to learn that her students fared so well in the contest.
“It was very exciting to both me and the kids,” she said. “The students have gotten their parents to change the lightbulbs at home or unplug appliances and it’s been great to hear those stories.”
Flewelling said winning came as a complete surprise.
“Since it was our first year, we didn’t think we’d win,” she said, “but we were really excited to find out we did.”
Gillis and Flewelling said they have learned a great deal from working on the BEEP project and will continue to follow good energy-saving practices.
“I’ve learned that it saves more energy to turn off a light when you leave a room,” said Flewelling, “and I didn’t know that when the TV is turned off, it still uses energy; it has to be unplugged. I’ve learned a lot and have been unplugging things and turning off the lights at home.”
“Every time at home when we leave a room we’ll turn off the lights, make sure the water is not dripping and we do that at home every morning before we leave,” Gillis said. “We’ve changed our lightbulbs to the fluorescent ones, too.”
Recognizing that students at the middle school level are beginning to form their energy use habits now, Chandler said she’s confident the winning students will make good decisions in the future.
“The kids are forming their ideas and habits now that they’ll be using one day in their own home,” she said. “I know I’m going to be very happy to have these kinds of kids making energy decisions for us.”
Brent Boyles, president and chief executive officer of Maine Public Service Co., was equally pleased with the students’ accomplishments.
“You and your students have certainly dedicated tremendous effort and time throughout the school year to spread the word about energy and wise use of resources,” said Boyles in a congratulatory letter to Bragan. “Your project showed remarkable creativity and innovativeness. We are especially impressed with the ‘fluorescent lightbulb for each family in your school district’ project and the creation of ‘Black Wednesday,’ where each classroom was encouraged to use half of or no lights during the day. It’s a great way to make learning about energy fun.”
Bragan said she and her students will participate in the annual BEEP competition again next year.
