The Grant

In 2005 BP (British Petroleum) began a program to provide $5,000 or $10,000 grants to over 980 teachers in the state of California. The grant is for teachers who are working with students in creating a project that uses alternative energy sources or creating efficient automobiles. Scott Roberts from the Living Wisdom School was one of those 980 teachers. He was awarded $5,000 dollars for a project to build a full-scale wind-turbine with the students at Living Wisdom School.

      From the A+ for Energy website: "As a global energy provider, BP and its employees in California and around the world, recognize the importance of education. We also understand, by listening to teachers of all grades and disciplines, that energy is an ideal subject for integrating real-life applications within the classroom. Given the current focus on increased student achievement in California and the nation, energy education can become an exciting way to help students learn valuable content, as well as show students how the study of energy education enriches every subject area. Energy can be a thematic unit for a kindergarten classroom considering how we grow. Energy can be a topic for a fourth grade classroom learning about electricity and magnetism. It can be hands-on activities for an eighth grade classroom learning about different forms of energy; such as thermal, radiant, sound, electrical, mechanical, and nuclear. Energy education provides an opportunity for technology students to plan more efficient school buildings. It can offer fine and performing arts classrooms an innovative way to incorporate energy themes in drama, dance and the visual arts. Energy education can be automotive technology students studying how to make vehicles more efficient. It can be students learning the promise and best uses of oil, natural gas, solar, wind, hydrogen, electricity, geothermal, and nuclear energy. Most importantly, world-class energy education programs that spark students’ interest about energy can prepare them for making informed choices and decisions about the energy opportunities and challenges we face now and in the future."