Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 15

BETHANY AKRIDGE

E

lectric membership cooperatives (EMCs) in Georgia are empowering teachers
to raise up the next generation of renewable-energy innovators. Prior to the
2019-20 school year, Coastal Electric Cooperative in Midway and Canoochee
EMC in Reidsville co-sponsored a SunPower for Schools workshop at the Liberty
County Performing Arts Center in Hinesville-one of three such events held in the
summer throughout the state.
These workshops not only provide teachers with curriculum and classroom
materials but also equip them to incorporate solar education into their classrooms.
"We've seen a significant increase in solar energy production in Georgia," says
Jason Smith, Coastal Electric energy adviser. "One of the best ways to keep that growth
going is to teach young people about renewable energy. By helping teachers tie solar
education in with the curriculum they are already using and giving them tools to do
that, they are more likely to become engaged."
During the workshop, teachers learned about solar technology and how electric
cooperatives tap into the power of the sun to provide electricity for their communities.
They worked together on activities and labs pertaining to their subject areas. They
even took field trips to visit working solar arrays in the area.
Developed by Georgia's
electric cooperatives and
Tucker-based Green Power
EMC in partnership with the
University of West Georgia
in Carrollton, SunPower for
Schools gives students opportunities to examine real-time
energy-production data from
solar arrays statewide. By
monitoring solar-power data
during variable weather and
light conditions, students
gain a better understanding
of the challenges and opportunities associated with
renewable energy.
"Allowing students to
monitor the output of actual
solar arrays gives them a realistic representation of what,
Coastal Electric's Jason Smith, left, and Canoochee EMC's
at this point, you really can
Joe Sikes check out a building-block model of a solarand cannot do with solar,"
powered home.
Smith says. "We're making
advances in technology all
the time, and we believe by
exposing students early to how solar energy works, they will be better equipped to take
us to the next level."
The curriculum observes new Georgia Standards of Excellence and supports
schools' science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) certification efforts. It
includes content in physics, chemistry, physical science, earth science, biology, life
science, environmental science and math. More than 200 schools, 650 teachers and
10,000 students have participated in the program.

Leadership change: Following the retirement of longtime
President and CEO
Whit Hollowell,
the board of directors at Coastal
Electric Cooperative in Midway
has named Chris
Fettes to the role.
Fettes previously
served as vice
president of engineering and operations and
chief operating officer at the co-op.
'Babies' on board: The Jackson-based
Jefferson Energy Cooperative Foundation donated $6,088 to the Augusta Technical College
Foundation toward two infant simulators for
its Waynesboro and Thomson campuses. The
simulators mimic the sounds of infants with
heart, lung and bowel issues to help prepare
licensed practical nurses.

Nothing but net: The Central Georgia Electric
Membership Corp. (EMC) Foundation in
Jackson contributed $1,128 in Operation
Round Up funds to the Jackson High School
Volleyball Spike Club for volleyball-net
upgrades. In Operation Round Up, members
opt to round their monthly bills to the nearest
dollar, and the difference is put into a fund that
supports worthy causes in the community.
Technical leaders: Lindsay
Bridges, vice
president of communications and
member services
at Georgia EMC in
Tucker, has been
appointed to the
Technical College
System of Georgia
(TCSG) Foundation board of trustees. The foundation supports the TCSG through marketing,
advocacy and fundraising to benefit college
programs, faculty and students.

RICHARD LUBRANT

EMCs offer SunPower for
Schools teacher workshops

COURTESY COASTAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

SHORTTakes

Colorful ideas: In honor of National Coloring
Book Day on Aug. 2, Sandersville-based
Washington EMC gave every "mini-member"
who visited one of its offices a coloring book
or coloring sheet.

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Georgia Magazine - January 2020

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