CLPJH awarded Energy Star

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

Even a school built in 1949 can learn energy efficiency--enough to qualify for more than $6,000 in rebates from Poudre School District over four and one-half years.

Students at Cache La Poudre Junior High School in LaPorte last year hit an energy-savings milestone that earned them a coveted national Energy Star award. Their 18-pound brass plaque - one of 18 awarded in Colorado in 2007--was recently mounted at the school's entryway. Another 16 awards went to other PSD schools.

"The kids are teaching the teachers how to conserve energy," said science teacher Barb Groves.

If teachers don't turn out lights, close windows and outside doors, or shut down computer equipment, they get yellow tickets with friendly reminders from a team of energy conservation monitors. If teachers do it right, they get a green card with a message of "Thanks a watt!"

This year's conservation team includes eighth-graders Brett Spencer and Josh Tomasini and seventh-graders Sheyenne Emde and Emma Sloniker.

"We keep track of who gets what color," Josh explained, adding that teachers accumulating a lot of yellow cards may need individual instruction.

Emma noted that many now turn out lights during class when available light is sufficient.

Since the inception of the national conservation program in 2000, 894 Energy Star labels have been issued to K-12 schools. PSD has earned 66 Energy Star labels of the 134 issued in Colorado since 2000. Schools can earn more than one label over the years.