Environmental Education and Outreach

Specific Judging Considerations

• To recognize individuals, businesses, organizations, and agencies for achievements in community-based environmental education and outreach programs
• Relevance of the educational and outreach efforts to environmental issues that are particularly pertinent in a given community

2008 Winner of Environmental Education and Outreach

Winner – Kilowatt Ours Youth Initiative (Davidson County)

The goal of the Kilowatt Ours Youth Initiative is to create and foster an energy conservation ethic among young people. Students are engaged in an interactive program that trains them to become energy leaders in their homes, schools and communities. The Youth Initiative has developed standards-based curriculum materials and resources, and a peer education program that engages students in the process of assessing energy use and taking energy-saving steps in their homes and schools. The program targets students in grades 4-12. It is currently being implemented in Nashville schools and seeks to expand across the state. To date, the Youth Initiative has directly presented to more than 5,000 students in 30 schools, trained 1,700 students to conduct home energy assessments, conducted five teacher training workshops, registered 500 students on the Web site, and disseminated the curriculum to more than 850 educators across the United States. In January 2008, the Peer Education Program was launched. The program trained 15 college students to be energy role models to educate younger students about energy conservation and renewable power.