Local students may become more energy savvy if county schools
decide to participate in a nationwide contest called the HOBO
Energy Challenge.
Hollister – Local students may become more energy savvy if county schools decide to participate in a nationwide contest called the HOBO Energy Challenge.
The company running the contest, iScienceProject, will give computer devices called HOBO Data Loggers to each school. With these devices students can track light usage, relative humidity and room temperature. The goal is for students to learn how to track their energy usage and catch things like leaving the lights on too long, running the heater too much and more. Along with the data logger, classrooms will receive software and ideas for energy saving classroom activities.
Bob Hammond, principal of Ladd Lane Elementary, said Hollister School District held a district wide energy conservation contest in the past, and he’s interested in participating in the new challenge because it will go along with the math and science projects his students are working on.
“This project sounds intriguing,” Hammond said. “We’re doing a real science and math push right now, so it would be a great learning experience for the students.”
In an attempt to save money, Hollister School District is once again urging schools to conserve energy, and Melinda Scott, principal at Sunnyslope School, said she hasn’t heard about the challenge, but it may go hand-in-hand with what the students are already working on.
“We’re kind of on an energy conservation kick right now anyway with the budget cuts, but it sounds like a great math and science project,” she said.
One school that has already seen academic and cost effective results from the challenge is Burrel Union Elementary in Burrel, Calif. Teacher Mary Funk said the loggers were so easy to use the first-graders even participated in the challenge, and after the first year, the school saw a 20 percent drop in its electric bill.
Along with saving energy, Evan Lubosky, spokesperson for iScienceProject, said this is a great opportunity for the schools to earn free equipment. The data loggers, which cost $200 each, are on loan during the challenge, but if classrooms can show they’ve tracked a decent amount of wasted energy, they get to keep the equipment and software and can qualify for a $1,000 prize.
“Our first goal with this challenge is education,” he said. “The kids get to learn about room temperature and humidity. With the budget cuts the way they are, it’s a great opportunity for the schools to get free equipment and will benefit student learning.”
