Contact: Peter Zack
Tel: (207) 625-7833 
Email: meep@psouth.net

MAINE PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY–NEED PROGRAMS
Contact: Nancy Chandler 
Tel: (207) 768-5811 
Email: nchandler@mainepublicservice.com

MEEP is a nonprofit public/private partnership begun in 1985 with the goal of enhancing the efforts of those involved in energy education throughout the state. MEEP believes its activities–linking energy, economy, and environment–will help develop energy literacy in the decision-makers of tomorrow. MEEP coordinates the Maine Junior Solar Sprint and Green Schools program for interested school districts. MEEP also maintains a library of curriculum materials and videos for school loan.

Maine Public Service Company offers NEED workshops and materials to schools and sponsors the NEED Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement for schools in their region. 

Sponsors: Maine Public Service Company; Maine Department of Economic and Community Development; Maine Department of Environmental Protection; Central Maine Power Company, and Maine Public Service Company.

Teachers can access NEED curriculum online. As resources are available, teacher workshops and hands-on kits are available. Individual state curriculum correlations are available here.

Madawaska Elementary School

Madawaska, ME

Project Title: Madawaska Elementary is Energy Wise

Project Adviser: Gina Jandreau

Starting in September 2010, fourth graders learned about energy and energy conservation through their science units, guest speakers, energy workshops, research, and handouts from the Maine Public Service Company and the NEED site. Students entered an Earth Day Essay Contest to share their knowledge.

Students helped to maintain and add pieces to an energy website, which was developed with students two years ago. An Essay Page where student Earth Day essays are showcased was a new page this year.

Students publicized their activities through written news reports as part of a school newspaper, on-line news reports, and video news broadcasts for the local access television station, Channel 16, to educate the community on energy activities.

To educate the entire community on energy issues, students developed Energy Tips Posters, which were handed out to all students to bring to businesses in town that they were familiar with. The posters were placed in about 50 area businesses in and around town. Students’ energy tip public service announcements educated the community as well since they were broadcast on our local access station, which reaches 4,500 households in the area.

Hopefully our project will help make a difference in energy conservation in our area.

Van Buren Elementary School

Van Buren, ME

Project Title: 6th Grade Energy Project

Project Adviser: Janice Gereben

Our Energy Project was fun and an excellent learning experience. Helping our earth can be fun and you can be learning at the same time.

Our Energy PowerPoint Presentations really wowed some students. It was a lot of fun for the students to learn facts about saving energy and the three Rs while watching a slideshow with cool pictures and colors. For part of our presentation, we helped the pre-K students make Squiggly Animals from scraps of construction paper.

At the Energy Fair students got to play our games and answer questions while learning. Our goal was to teach students at our school about saving energy and the three Rs, and I believe that we have succeeded.

During Energy Night, family members came to play our games and see our work. I believe that most of the adults also learned new things. We also hung posters around the school and students stopped to read them. We also made cool creatures out of old things we didn’t need any more.

I thought that our energy project was fun and a great learning experience. We also got a little taste of what it was like to teach other students. I enjoyed these projects and I believe that my classmates have as well.

Caribou Middle School

Caribou, ME

Project Title: Energy Extravaganza

Project Adviser: Beth Alden

After attending the Maine Public Service Energy Conference at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, seventh grade students of Caribou Middle School formed an Energy Team, under the direction of Mrs. Beth Alden. The project we chose to complete was an Energy Extravaganza Day, which the community and Caribou Schools were invited to, about 700 kids in total. The project was a great success, and informed the citizens of Caribou about energy conservation, education, and efficiency.

There were four main steps we took to reach our goals. We attended a Provider Fair in Presque Isle to deepen our learning. We chose partners, and energy topics to research, then created posters, games, and handouts to make our booth complete. We contacted businesses to see if they would set up booths, and invited the community and Caribou Schools to attend. We hosted the Extravaganza on March 30th, 2011, and had an amazing time. Finally our hard work paid off.

All in all, with interactive games and prizes, the students who came were having an enjoyable time. We hoped to make it interactive and fun, but also educational. We have definitely achieved our project goals.