A group of young detectives has been at work on a new case: students at Weimar Junior High School and St. Michael’s School are hunting for clues that lead to high home utility bills and energy waste. These detectives are fifth graders from Kaylee Ostert’s science class, and fifth and sixth graders from Dolores Lauck’s science class. Students learned that their own bad energy habits like keeping lights on, leaving the refrigerator door open, or taking long showers can waste natural resources and cost their families additional money on their monthly electric bills. 

Fayette Electric Cooperative, San Bernard Electric Cooperative and the City of Weimar sponsored the PowerHouse™ Energy Investigation Program. Nicholas Cowey of the Lower Colorado River Authority, facilitated the program, which teaches middle school students and their families about the effects of energy use on natural resources and the environment. 

Through the PowerHouse  program, students get a hands-on understanding of energy consumption by becoming energy “detectives.” Using a walk-through guide, students investigate and record their households’ energy-using features. The results of their investigation are then entered into the PowerHouse software program which analyzes the data and produces a personalized report showing patterns of energy use, some energy-saving tips and a summary of their impact on the environment and various natural resources. The program also offers practical solutions that students can take home to share with their families.    

Gage Neeley said, “I never knew that air conditioning and heat take up a lot of money on the utility bill.  It was really fun to do this with the PowerHouse program .”

Dylan Moeller said, “The most important thing I learned is if you use LED lightbulbs, you will save money.”    

“PowerHouse is an innovative program to teach students about energy and water efficiency. It’s a complete course for these students to learn about resources used to produce electricity and how that electricity gets to their homes from the power plant. The program helps them understand how their household’s energy use can affect our environment,” said FEC Marketing and Training Coordinator Catherine Poppe.