Students Go Blue to Teach Green
A group of SDSU students are spending spring break teaching Lake Tahoe children to save energy.
Fifteen San Diego State University students are spending spring break teaching thousands of children in a small mountain community to save energy and the environment.
Members of the student organization CALPIRG Energy Service Corps are in South Lake Tahoe, California spreading the word on energy savings. The focus of the trip is to teach 2,000 children throughout Lake Tahoe Unified School District about energy as a precious commodity, while highlighting simple steps students can take to improve their environment by becoming more energy efficient.
Engaging young minds
SDSU students will engage the children through interactive lessons using games like “Energy Jeopardy“and thought-provoking simulations to emphasize simple steps students can take to reduce energy waste in their own homes.
“Educating children about energy and the environment is one of the most important ways we can reach out to communities,” said Ashley Henry, a student AmeriCorps member with CALPIRG Energy Service Corps.“
"We’re teaching kids easy ways they can save energy with the hope that they can take what they’ve learned back to their friends and families.”
Commitment to community
The SDSU students are also helping hundreds of South Lake Tahoe residents by offering free services such as installing weather stripping, switching out inefficient lightbulbs, and giving energy saving tips to homeowners.
“This trip is an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability as a campus and for students to challenge themselves to engage other communities in a dialogue on energy savings,” said SDSU CALPIRG Campus Organizer and South Tahoe High Alum, Aaron Hussmann.
About CALPIRG
CALPIRG Energy Service Corps, a campus-based student organization, is a partnership between CALPIRG and AmeriCorps. The program at San Diego State joins scores of other students from across the state embarking on alternative energy spring break trips with a common goal to educate more than 10,000 K-12 students spring break 2013.
“This year’s Spring Break trips are some of the biggest and farthest-reaching trips in the history of the program,” said Sean Foran, Program Director for CALPIRG Energy Service Corps. “On these trips college students are positive role models to future generations to show what it means to live more efficiently and protect our resources.”
Following Spring Break, CALPIRG Energy Service Corps will continue teaching young students educating the community about energy efficiency through workshops and performing free home energy assessments and weatherizations throughout the semester.
For more information or to request a lesson, e-mail CALPIRG Energy Service Corps.
