Children and Schools

Joe Wheeler EMC believes that our children are our most valuable resource, and that it’s our responsibility as a member of this community to encourage and educate them about what we know best – electricity!

JWEMC also supports our children by working closely with schools to deliver effective electrical safety presentations, as well as providing educational and scholarship opportunities and contributing to our local school systems by purchasing Helping Schools tags. For more information on our commitment to local schools and opportunities for students, please click the appropriate link.

NRECA Grants for K-12 Schools

2010 – 2011 NREA Mini-Grant Program

Sponsored and Funded by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

WHO MAY APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS? Any rural K – 12 classroom teacher whose school or community is served by a local Rural Electric Cooperative, or whose students’ homes are served by a local Rural electric Cooperative.

HOW DO I QUALIFY FOR A GRANT? Your school, community, or students must be served by Joe Wheeler EMC or any other electric cooperative.

HOW MUCH ARE THE GRANTS? There will be ten Mini-Grants of $500 each to be expended during the 2010-2011 school year for student-based projects. Each Mini-Grant will be funded at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.

HOW WILL THE APPLICATIONS BE JUDGED? All applications will be screened by the NREA Teacher Activities Committee to select fifteen finalists. The NRECA will select the ten winners from the fifteen finalists.

Applications will be judged on the following criteria:

1. A project design that demonstrates cooperation between students;

2. Appropriateness for age and grade levels;

3. A project design that encourages a high level of student involvement;

4. A project design that indicates coordination with your local Rural Electric Cooperative;

5. A project design that focuses on student learning;

6. Overall quality of the application and adherence to grant guidelines.

ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED BY May 2010 for the 2010-2011 school year.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF A PROPOSAL? An eligible project should feature an investigation of the science of energy or electricity. Project ideas could include a study of the local geology, the history of hydroelectric generation in your community, or alternative sources of energy for the next generation. The project should be limited only by the imagination of your students and the resources you have available.

Understanding Electricity

Here are some interesting things to help you better understand electricity:

• Click here to charge up your cheerios!
• Click here to play cool games about electricity!
• Click Kids Korner for an “electrifying” educational experience!

Safety City

Welcome to Safety City! Our Safety City program was developed to enhance community awareness about electrical safety at the student level by combining knowledgeable speakers with fun, interactive demonstrations and informative literature. With the help of Lightning Liz and Neon Leon, students learn what to do if they see a fallen wire, why birds can perch on wires and not be electrocuted; the effects electricity has on the human body and even more cool facts about electricity! Safety issues such as protective gear and best practices are also covered in this fun, informative demo. At the conclusion of each Safety City demonstration, students are given literature containing practical advice for people of all ages concerning electrical safety issues such as power outages, electrical fires, power lines, and more. If would like to invite us to bring Safety City to your classroom or organization, please click here to send us an email.