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November 27, 2006

Johnson Controls Encourages Student Creativity About Energy Conservation

Igniting Creative Energy Challenge

Winners of national competition win educational trip to Hawaii with chance to meet national leaders.

Johnson Controls

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 27 -- United States and Canadian students in kindergarten through 12th grade are being called on by the Igniting Creative Energy Challenge to put on their thinking caps and come up with creative ways to make a difference in energy conservation and the environment.

Johnson Controls


Photo: Solar Panel

The Challenge, a partnership program developed by Johnson Controls and the National Energy Foundation, is an educational competition that encourages students to learn more about energy and the environment. This is the sixth year for the competition, which provides the national winners with valuable educational experiences that include a trip to Hawaii and a chance to meet national leaders and energy policymakers in Washington, D.C.

Students are asked to submit entries that demonstrate an understanding of what an individual, family or group can do in their home, school or community to conserve energy and help the environment. Students may express their ideas in the form of science projects, essays, stories, artwork, photographs, music, video or Web site projects. They may also submit recent service projects.

Johnson Controls


Photo: Wind Turbines in Field

New for 2007, the highest scoring student in each state and most provinces will receive additional recognition and a $1,000 (U.S.) donation from Johnson Controls for his or her school.

The Challenge is funded through an educational grant by Johnson Controls with additional support from the United States Energy Association (USEA) and the National Energy Foundation.

Johnson Controls is a global leader in interior experience, building efficiency and power solutions. Founded in 1885, the company is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI) has 136,000 employees in more than 1,000 locations serving customers in 125 countries.

"Like all citizens, students play an important role in using energy resources wisely, which reinforces our business of providing smart energy solutions," said Dave Myers, president, Building Efficiency, Johnson Controls. "As we introduce this year's Challenge, we continue to be impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity students and teachers exhibit in demonstrating ways to preserve the environment and conserve energy."

According to Dari Scott, vice president of marketing for the National Energy Foundation, "It's vital to instill in students the idea that they can creatively contribute to conserving natural resources. It results in improved leadership, character development and service to others, not to mention a better environment."

Contest Rules and Prizes

The Challenge is open to all students in grades K-12 in the U.S. and Canada, excluding Quebec. All entries are due by February 17, 2007, and winners will be announced on or about March 17, 2007.

Official rules about the contest and a downloadable entry form can be found at the official Challenge Web site, http://www.ignitingcreativeenergy.org/ .

A total of four grand prizes will be awarded to three students and one teacher. Three students, one in each grade cluster, whose work best addresses the Challenge criteria, will receive a hosted trip to Hawaii April 10-14, 2007 for themselves and a parent or legal guardian. In addition, one teacher with the highest average score of student work from 15 or more qualifying entries will be chosen for a trip for two to Hawaii for the same fun and educational experience.

While in Hawaii, winners will experience the educational trip of a lifetime. This journey will include visits to a volcano, tropical forests, and Hawaii's famous beaches.

Winners will also participate in the national Energy Efficiency Forum in Washington, D.C., June 12-13, 2007, where they will share their Challenge entries and ideas with government and energy leaders.

Award certificates will be available for every participating student and teacher. The most creative and deserving student work will be published.

Last Year's Entries

The winning projects for the 2006 Igniting Creative Energy Challenge were a reflection of students' creativity and involvement: an elementary school student's "I Spy"(C)-themed book highlighting 101 ways to save energy at home, illustrated with photographs of the student's dollhouse; a middle school student's recommended four-week children's meal program for fast food restaurants that included age-appropriate energy savings items in place of toys; and a high school student's researched recommendation to create billboards that raise awareness of the energy crisis and promote the fight to save energy and the environment.

Teacher Zan Lombardo of Tredyffrin-Easttown School District in Pennsylvania had each of her students establish one energy-efficient habit for a month, quantify their savings and then represent each unit of savings as a dot in a giant mural that showed overall how they had helped the environment.

Students were asked to write a one-page summary that described their motivation for submitting an entry and what they hoped their project would accomplish. Middle school winner Rebecca Richter from Wisconsin shared, "I wanted to find a creative way to help children and their families understand how to conserve energy. It seems perfect to work with a fast-food chain because many families eat at fast-food restaurants. It would be a great way to reach a lot of people! I hope to convey that energy is an important resource in our lives, and that there are many ways to save energy."


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:19 PM | Link to this Post






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