Teachers will be able to take courses at Peru State College June 8-11 event; UNK June 8-July 31
– By Mark McFadden –
In an energy-hungry world, lifestyles and the standard of living will directly depend upon the availability of electricity, whether generated by wind, nuclear, coal or other fuel sources. And students across Nebraska have questions about important energy issues.
To help Nebraska teachers address these issues, the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) will sponsor two courses this summer. The first, “Energizing the Future”, is an annual one-week, one-credit, hands-on workshop for middle school and high school teachers at Peru State College June 8-11.
“Energy, Environment and Education, 899P,” is three-credit, online graduate course through the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The entire course, listed in UNK’s summer 2009 catalog as #10833, will run from June 8 – July 31 and will include a one-week, hands-on workshop on the UNK campus July 13-17 to complement the instruction.
Nebraska teachers who enroll for either course may be eligible for paid tuition, fees, materials, on-campus housing, and round trip travel costs. NPPD will pay these costs for the first 25 teachers who apply for the Peru workshop and the first 15 for the UNK course, as long as they are certified teachers, instructing in a Nebraska school.
Both educational opportunities include power plant tours and feature guest speakers who will address Nebraska’s power industry and the national and global issues that impact it. Teachers will discuss energy facts, dispel the myths, and take a first-hand look at nuclear, fossil, and alternative energy operations, as well as power supply, transmission and distribution of electricity. Other topics will include energy efficiency, radioactivity, energy-related environmental issues, and careers in the energy industry.
“NPPD’s objective is to give teachers the information necessary to prepare students for the challenging energy choices they will make as consumers,” said Diana Luscher, NPPD community relations/education specialist. “In addition to educating students on the many facets of electricity production and distribution, teachers will receive information to help guide students in the skills and education they need to pursue a career in an energy-related field.” Questions about either course can be directed to Luscher at dllusch@nppd.com or 308-236-2230.
Teachers interested in attending the Peru workshop should enroll online at www.nppd.com/EnergyEducation. Teachers interested in UNK’s graduate course should call UNK’s graduate office, 308-865-8500. enroll via http://webeasi.unk.edu, or contact UNK Chemistry Professor Scott Darveau at darveausa@unk.edu.
Always there when you need us, NPPD’s mission is to safely generate and deliver low-cost reliable energy and provide outstanding customer service. Working in partnership with the state’s rural public power districts, cooperatives and municipalities, NPPD helps serve an estimated 1 million Nebraskans with retail or wholesale electric power and energy-related products and services. For more information about NPPD visit www.nppd.com.