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Igniting Creative Energy Challenge

Students across North America in kindergarten through 12th grade are being called on by the Igniting Creative Energy Challenge to design and share innovative ways to make a difference in energy conservation and the environment.

The Challenge, a partnership program developed by Johnson Controls and the National Energy Foundation, is a competition that encourages students to learn more about energy and the environment. It is funded through an educational grant by Johnson Controls with additional support from Philips, the United States Energy Association and the National Energy Foundation.

This is the seventh year for the competition, which provided national winners with valuable educational experiences. They also won a hosted trip to Hawaii, as well as the Energy Efficiency Forum where they will share their challenge entries and ideas with national leaders and energy policymakers in Washington, D.C.

Students are asked to submit entries that demonstrate an understanding of what an individual, family or group can do in their home, school or community to conserve energy and help the environment. Students are encouraged to express their ideas in any creative form such as science projects, essays, stories, artwork, photographs, music, videos, web site projects, etc. They may also submit recent service projects.

2008 Contest Winners

Elementary School Winner -- Tessa Hartley of Missouri
Tessa Hartley is a kindergartener in the St. James R-1 School District. Her winning project is a book she wrote and illustrated titled ABC's in My Trash. The book identifies how she saved a piece of trash for every letter of the alphabet and found a way to reuse the item instead of throwing it away. Tessa's project demonstrates that using creativity -- with recycling and in life -- can go a long way.

Middle School Winner -- Matthew Belz of Ohio
Matthew Belz is a sixth-grader in the Upper Arlington (Ohio) City School District. His winning project is a documentary highlighting his journey to find an environmentally-friendly alternative to the polystyrene trays used in his school's cafeteria. His extensive research led him to discover that trays made of sugar cane fiber are similar in cost and more environmentally conscious than polystyrene trays. School district officials, including the Director of Finance and Food Service Director, are reviewing Matthew's findings to explore the possibility of changing the trays in the school's cafeteria.

High School Winner -- Wesley Fulkerson of California
Wesley Fulkerson is a junior in the Grossmont Union High School District. His winning project is a song he wrote and recorded called Its a Beautiful World. The song encourages others to make simple changes in their lives to conserve energy. It drives home the idea that if we all do little things we can collectively make a big difference.

Teacher Winner -- Jean Kegerreis of Michigan
Jean Kegerreis, a chemistry and zoology teacher in West Ottawa Public Schools in Michigan, was the teacher with the highest average score of student work from 15 or more qualifying entries is named the national winner. Ms. Kegerreis joined the student winners in Hawaii and will also join them in Washington D.C.

The winning entries for 2008 will be posted at http://www.ignitingcreativeenergy.org/.