Summer Training at the National Energy Conference for Educators
About the Conference
NEED’s annual National Energy Conference for Educators is a one-of-a-kind experience that brings together educators from across the country and beyond who are passionate about energy, STEM, and hands-on learning. From classroom teachers to energy industry outreach professionals, participants come ready to learn, collaborate, and leave inspired.
This is not your typical conference. There are no exhibit halls or traditional keynote sessions, aside from occasional guest speakers from conference sponsors. Instead, you’ll spend five energizing days in immersive, hands-on training using NEED curriculum and materials. You won’t just hear about lessons, you’ll experience them, build them, and leave with ready-to-use plans to engage your students. It’s fast-paced, highly interactive, and often described as the most fun educators have while learning.
Throughout the week, you’ll explore all facets of energy education, including the science of energy, sources, electricity, transportation, efficiency, and environmental and economic impacts. With guidance from expert NEED facilitators, you’ll develop customized, standards-aligned energy units for your classroom, collaborative teams, or Out-of-School Time (OST) programs, designed to engage learners of all styles.
Each participant receives a personalized agenda in advance, with breakout sessions selected based on registration preferences rather than on-site selection. This intentional structure creates a more cohesive and meaningful professional learning experience.
Participants also receive full access to NEED Curriculum Guides, supplemental resources, and credit toward a NEED Kit to support classroom implementation. All materials are aligned to NGSS, Common Core, and state standards.
If you’re ready to deepen your content knowledge, gain practical, ready-to-use resources, and connect with a passionate community of educators, this is the conference for you!
NEED's National Energy Conference for Educators
July 12-16, 2026
Nashville, TN
Email Kimberly Swan at kswan@need.org with any questions.
Conference Details
Conference Topics
Application Details
Agenda
Sponsor a Teacher
Testimonials
WHEN: July 12-16, 2026
WHERE: Holiday Inn & Suites Nashville Downtown - Broadway
COST OF REGISTRATION: $2,000
- Conference Materials and Facilitation
- Local transportation to and from the airport in the conference city
- Double Occupancy** Lodging Sunday – Thursday
- Welcome Dinner Sunday
- Lunch Monday – Wednesday
- Breakfast Monday – Thursday
- Reception and Closing Dinner Wednesday
- Free Science of Energy Kit ($300 value) or credit towards a different NEED Energy Kit
- NEED Curriculum Guides and supplemental resources
Local Conference Registration Rate (no hotel lodging): $1,600
*Pricing subject to change
**Lodging is double occupancy, meaning participants will be paired with a roommate unless opt to pay a single room additional fee of $400.
SPONSORSHIP:
Limited sponsorship is available for K-12 classroom teachers thanks to the great sponsors and partner of NEED. However, teachers are highly encouraged to seek local funding and sponsorship to attend. Past participants have found luck in full or partial funding through their local chapters, local energy companies, school district, PTO, and local businesses (even car dealerships).
Those requesting sponsorship to attend, please check the box on the application indicating you request assistance. You will receive a follow-up email from Kimberly Swan (kswan@need.org) with details on how to submit 1 letter of recommendation to go with your sponsorship request. This recommendation letter can be from a colleague or a school administration staff member.
Additionally, Bob Thompson Excellence in Energy Award winner(s) receive a $1,000 cash grant AND an all-expenses paid trip to the NEED Energy Conference for Educators. Bob Thompson application/nominations are due by February 1, 2026. Learn more here!
- Renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, and their development, use, and impact on economics and the environment
- Development and use of transportation fuels, and the connection of all fuels to the economy and the environment
- Efficient use of energy and the use of energy technologies for conservation and reduction of waste
- The science of energy, forms of energy, and energy transformations
- Generation and transmission of electricity
- Climate Science
- Energy career and workforce development
- Synthesis of energy information
Who Should Apply?
• Educators interested in Energy!
• Science and STEM Teachers
• CTE Teachers
• Informal Educators
• Museum Education Staff
• Utility Education & Outreach Staff
• OST Program Leaders
Questions? Email Kimberly Swan at kswan@need.org
Ready to apply? Click Here.
2026 Agenda - Coming Soon
In the meantime, view the 2025 National Energy Conference PDF Agenda for an idea of how the conference will run!
WANT TO SPONSOR A TEACHER?
The energy industry requires many qualified employees to meet the demands of a growing industry. Supporting the involvement of teachers and students in energy education is an investment in the future of energy. For partners in the energy industry, many sponsorship opportunities are available – sponsoring registration fees, providing speakers, and contributing to the curriculum materials the teachers use in their classrooms. There are many ways to make a tax deductible investment in energy education. Contact NEED to discuss sponsoring a teacher or a conference session. Reach our Executive Director, Mary Spruill, at mspruill@need.org.
Download the sponsorship form here.
Recent Attendee Testimonials:
My mind was blown, I learned so much about energy! I also learned a lot about how to bring that into the classroom and make it relevant. We learned so many great hands on activities that could be used for so many different things & easy to differentiate.
Absolutely one of the best PD’s ever, great resources and contacts!
Great connections, wonderful people, excellent resources.
The NEED facilitators had a great positive energy and showed genuine concern for explaining their material to us.
I look forward to using some of the tools and ideas learned during this conference. I have a renewed positivity after this experience.
This is by far one of the most helpful, useful, and practical conferences I’ve attended in 26 years of teaching. I’m returning to my classroom with usable activities, hands on stuff – which is the most valuable.
Thank you for the informative sessions and the gracious hospitality extended during my visit. I found the lectures and practical exercises to be highly valuable and directly applicable to my teaching practice.
ABOUT NEED
The National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education association with 40 years of experience in energy education and curriculum development. NEED’s materials and programs are an integral part of the energy education process in 65,000 classrooms nationwide.
NEED works with the education community and the energy industry to design and distribute comprehensive, objective, hands-on, inquiry-based educational materials. NEED conducts student and teacher training programs, provides evaluation tools, and recognizes outstanding student and teacher achievement for grades K-12. NEED materials are designed to meet the diverse needs and learning styles of students. They are teacher-tested to ensure success in the classroom and are correlated to the Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core Standards, and state science standards.
The mission of the NEED Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating networks of students, educators, and businesses, government and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs.
