Ohio Energy Project (OEP), in partnership with NOPEC, helped energize in-person and virtual classrooms this past school year with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Design Challenges meant to spark curiosity about energy and promote creative problem solving and critical thinking. These challenges, which required students to experiment with various materials, not only taught students about wind energy but also helped students think about where energy comes from and how to use energy more efficiently.
Over 3700 students from a total of 48 Ohio schools participated in the program this past school year which, thanks to NOPEC’s sponsorship, was offered at no-cost to participating schools in NOPEC member communities. Students in grades 7 – 12 were tasked with designing and engineering unique wind turbine blades and then testing their design to see how much energy they created and how efficient their blades were at creating energy. Students in grades 3 – 6 participated in the MacGyver Windmill Lift project that challenged students to build, test, and improve upon a windmill, and use that energy to lift weights and calculate force.
Participating schools included:
- Lakeside Junior High School in Ashtabula County.
- East Elementary School and The Plains Intermediate School in Athens County.
- Crestview Middle School and East Palestine High School in Columbiana County.
- Almira Academy, Andrew J. Rickoff Elementary School, Anton Grdina School, Brecksview-Broadview Heights Middle School, Campus International School, Carlywood Intermediate School, Dike School of the Arts, Gates Mills Elementary School, Gilles Sweet Elementary School, Gilmour Academy, Hayes Elementary School, Horace Mann Elementary School, John Muir Elementary School, Kisner Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, Millridge Elementary School, Oliver Hazard Perry School, Olmsted Falls Intermediate School, Orchard STEM School, Roxboro Middle School, Warrensville Heights Elementary School, and William Foster Elementary School in Cuyahoga County.
- Burton Elementary School in Geauga County.
- Main Street Intermediate School in Huron County. Grant Elementary School, Madison Middle School, and Wickliffe Middle School in Lake County.
- Hawthorne Elementary School, Keystone Middle School, Larkmoor Elementary School, St. Anthony’s of Padua, and South Amherst Middle School in Lorain County.
- Valley STEM Academy + ME2 and West Branch Intermediate School in Mahoning County.
- Brunswick Middle School and Walter Kidder Elementary School in Medina County.
- James A. Garfield Elementary School and West Main Elementary School in Portage County.
- Green Middle School and Washington Elementary School in Stark County.
- Arrowhead Primary School in Summit County.
- Champion Central Elementary School and Roosevelt Elementary School in Trumbull County.
NOPEC has been partnering with OEP for 7 years on energy education for students and teachers in Ohio. “As a non-profit energy aggregation serving over 240 Ohio communities, NOPEC's mission is to aggregate, educate, and advocate for Ohio communities, residents, and small businesses. Supporting educational opportunities for students to learn about energy generation and the importance of energy efficiency is one of the many ways NOPEC delivers on this mission,” said NOPEC’s Executive Director Chuck Keiper.
As a nonprofit organization, OEP aims to inspire leadership and energy innovation in Ohio students and teachers. Their programs have been empowering classrooms since 1988 and continue to spark curiosity in budding young scientists.
For more information about the STEM Design Challenges and a full list of participating schools, visit nopec.org/education.
About NOPEC
NOPEC is a non-profit group of over 240 Ohio communities that negotiates lower utility rates. As Ohio’s largest non-profit governmental energy aggregator supplying electricity and natural gas to over 1,000,000 accounts, NOPEC buys gas and electricity in bulk then passes the savings and benefits on to their customers. Since 2001, NOPEC has saved their customers hundreds of millions of dollars on their energy costs, provided education opportunities for Ohio students and residents, awarded $44 million in community energy-efficiency grants, and helped protect Ohio consumers by advocating for consumer-friendly energy policies.
