TDEC Provides Energy Education Camps For K-12 Educators

Tennessee Department of Environment and Education

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) Office of Energy Programs today announced summer camps designed to give K-12 educators resources to teach energy conservation in the classroom.

“TDEC is happy to offer this professional development opportunity to local educators,” said Molly Cripps, assistant commissioner of TDEC’s Office of Energy Programs. “These programs promote the importance of energy literacy for K-12 educators and introduce them to topics such as energy generation, consumption, and measurement; renewable energy; and energy efficiency and conservation.”

The three-day educational sessions come at no cost to educators. The sessions will link the broad topic of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects and provide educators with the knowledge and resources necessary to teach energy concepts. Sessions will also explore how to involve students in service-learning projects that promote environmental stewardship.

K-12 educators are invited to apply for one of the following three camps:

·         June 18-20 at Cumberland Mountain State Park (24 Office Dr., Crossville, TN 38555)

·         June 25-27 at Roan Mountain State Park (527 TN-143, Roan Mountain, TN 37687)

·         July 17-19 at Natchez Trace State Park (24845 Natchez Trace Rd., Wildersville, TN 38388 )

Participants will be provided with complimentary lodging and meals, and will receive energy-related classroom materials valued at $200. Applications are available online at https://www.tn.gov/environment/article/energy-k-12-tennessee-energy-education-network.

The deadline to apply is April 5, 2019.

TDEC’s K-12 Energy Education Camps are funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program. For more information, contact Angela McGee at angela.mcgee@tn.gov or (615) 532-7816.