FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 29, 2015) –The Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence (DEDI) has announced that energy projects from five Kentucky school districts received top honors from the Kentucky National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project. Recipients in the elementary-level category were the Virginia Chance School of Louisville for School of the Year, and Lexington’s Garden Springs Elementary for Rookie of the Year. In the junior-level category, Tichenor Middle of the Erlanger-Elsmere Independent School District received the School of the Year award and West Hardin County Middle School was named Rookie of the Year. Lloyd Memorial High School, also from the Erlanger-Elsmere Independent School District, received the senior-level School of the Year award. Kenton County School District’s energy project took honors in the district-level category. The awards were presented to students and teachers during the 2015 Youth Summit and Awards Luncheon April 23 in Frankfort. This is the eighth annual event organized in partnership with the Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools Program (KGHS) and Kentucky NEED. In addition to the awards ceremony, participants showcased their projects to invited dignitaries and other school participants. Schools and students were honored for their efforts in both the KGHS program and for their energy projects organized through the NEED project. “I want to congratulate all of the students and teachers for participating in Kentucky’s environmental education programs,” said Energy and Environment Secretary Len Peters. “I encourage all students to continue to explore, question, and share your knowledge. Through projects such as NEED, you demonstrate leadership and an understanding of what it means to be stewards of our environment.” Energy projects from 29 student energy teams were evaluated by an independent panel of educators and energy experts on student leadership, energy knowledge and community involvement. The 2015 awards were presented to outstanding and first-year entry projects in four categories. “We thank all of the students, teachers and administrators for participating in Kentucky NEED and environmental education,” said Karen Reagor, state coordinator of the NEED Project. “Through funding provided by the Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence, energy in education reaches hundreds of schools and thousands of students.” The NEED Project is a nonprofit organization with programs in all 50 states, the U.S. Territories, and several other nations. NEED has developed innovative materials and implemented programs that not only teach about energy, but also develop leadership and critical thinking skills. NEED is sponsored by both renewable and nonrenewable energy companies, federal, state and local agencies, energy consumers, and by national and state energy and education associations. Details about the Kentucky NEED Project can be found online at http://www.need.org/ KGHS is a program of the Kentucky Environmental Education Council and the Kentucky Department of Education. More information can be received by contacting them at [email protected] For more information about Kentucky’s energy in education initiatives, visit www.energy.ky.gov
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