A group of ninth-grade students from Western Wayne High School earned a prestigious Honorable Mention in PPL Electric Utilities’ THINK! ENERGY Innovation Challenge—a competition that challenged students to create interactive presentations on energy conservation, natural resources, and environmental issues.
Aidyn Graci and Mitchell Ferraro, students in Dr. Mark Nebzydoski’s General Science class, took home the Honorable Mention award for their creative and engaging video on energy efficiency. Their project, which can be viewed on the Western Wayne website, used humor and storytelling to highlight the importance of saving energy. Throughout the video, the students repeatedly urged their teacher with the catchphrase, “Come on, Mr. Nebz!”, reminding him to be mindful of energy consumption in the classroom. https://youtu.be/EDmCGFHw4Lk
“I really enjoyed making the video and getting to boss Mr. Nebz around a little!” said Mitchell Ferraro, who aspires to become a social studies teacher. Fellow creator Aidyn Graci, who hopes to pursue a career in business, added, “It was a relief to see our hard work pay off.”
As part of the competition, Dr. Nebzydoski registered all Western Wayne students for free energy conservation kits, which included compact fluorescent light bulbs, a smart energy power strip, a shower timer, a faucet aerator, and a water-saving showerhead. Students installed the devices in their homes and measured their energy savings—applying science in a real-world, hands-on way.
“The creativity and enthusiasm in these projects were incredible,” said Dr. Nebzydoski. “Seeing students learn about energy efficiency and apply it to their daily lives is exactly what education should be about. These high school students are tomorrow’s homeowners, so reinforcing energy conservation now is essential.”
For their outstanding work, Aidyn and Mitchell were each awarded Beats wireless earbuds, and Dr. Nebzydoski received $250 for classroom supplies.
PPL Electric Utilities, in partnership with the National Energy Foundation (NEF) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), sponsors the THINK! ENERGY program to promote energy education among students. This initiative provides free resources to help young people develop a deeper understanding of energy conservation and efficiency.
For more information on the THINK! ENERGY Innovation Challenge, visit THINK! ENERGY. https://thinkenergy.org/ppl-innovation/teachers/
Caption: (LtoR) Mike Touey, PPL Electricity; Paul Gregorski, High School Principal; Aidyn Graci, Student; Mitchell Ferraro, Student; and Dr. Mark Nebzydoski, Science Teacher.
