This Earth Day, we pause to celebrate the curiosity, creativity and resilience of Alaska students as they navigated new and uncharted educational realms.
The REAP STEM team was right there helping students rise to the challenge by providing a variety of hybrid hands-on and virtual STEM energy activities, competitions and guidance. We are highlighting some of the awesome work that students accomplished around clean energy this last year, as well as looking forward to new opportunities in the changing world.
Looking Back
Last year, REAP celebrated Earth Day virtually for the first time – just like everybody else. REAP’s 2020 Earth Day video heralded our transition to new platforms and audiences as we nimbly pivoted to meet the learning needs of students, teachers and parents – isolated, but connected virtually.
Virtual Science Fair
By the end of last April, REAP had already co-hosted a Virtual Science Fair for students across Alaska – just as students and parents at home were beginning to adapt to the virtual learning environment. Students were able to show and discuss their projects to classmates and judges – and feel a little more connected to each other and to the outside world.
Energy Engineering Challenge
The REAP STEM Team frequently partners with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program to provide hands-on energy lessons meant to inform and address the challenges and expense of providing and using energy in remote Alaska. Last Summer REAP and ANSEP sponsored the Energy Engineering Challenge to reach and teach rural students who could not travel to University of Anchorage ANSEP learning center because of the pandemic. ANSEP partnered with REAP again in the fall to engage students with a STEM Connect lesson using vacuum bell jars. The partnership continued through March with a month-long event where students chose to engage in a wind, solar, or efficiency activity at home and present their project to the group via Zoom.
Power Pledge Challenge
REAP’s annual Power Pledge Challenge also pivoted from the usual month of October spent scurrying around the state to visit classrooms, to Zooming around the state to visit Zoom rooms. PPC is a statewide educational partnership between REAP, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, Alaska Energy Authority, and eleven local utilities. Students learn about energy and pledge to use it more wisely. Classes with the highest participation win distinction and prizes.
365 SMART Academy
In February, the REAP education team and the UAF MicroFEWs team hosted a Solar Energy class for home school students through the 365 SMART Academy. During the course, 5th through 8th grade students from all corners of Alaska learned about solar energy basics and real-world applications of solar energy in Alaska. Students designed and built structures or devices using circuitry, LEDs, motors and solar panels.
Alaska Science & Engineering Fair
REAP’s STEM team are a known resource for teachers and students seeking energy information and help. We are happy to mentor students like Annabella Williams – a Junior at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau – who won first place in the Energy and Transportation Division of the 2021 Alaska Science and Engineering Fair for her research into the capacity and potential for beneficial electrification using renewable energy in Juneau. Annabella will continue on to present her project virtually in May at the International Science and Engineering Fair.
Clean Energy Olympics
This Earth Day, REAP will celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of Alaska students as they present their renewable energy projects to REAP’s panel of judges. For the Clean Energy Olympics, students will make presentations about their model wind turbines, solar arrays, hydro generators and energy assessments. Team scores are based on the presentation, knowledge, creativity, materials, and apparatus performance.
Looking Ahead…
As we pass this second Earth Day during the pandemic, REAP’s STEM team is already looking forward to the year ahead. REAP staff are fully vaccinated and are already making plans and taking measured steps back into classrooms. REAP will lead a 5-day Clean Energy in AK summer camp in Fairbanks with the 365 SMART Academy in June, a summer camp with UAA College of Engineering in Palmer in July, and a virtual camp with ANSEP in June.
Like educators and parents everywhere, the REAP STEM team learned a lot this year. We’re well-prepared to continue delivering high quality, hands-on energy lessons – whether in the classroom or the Zoom-room.
During this time of rapid change, we are excited to devote our energy to helping students learn about energy. Students are our future. And so is renewable energy.
