What Is The Energizing Student Potential Program?
The Exelon Foundation, and Exelon Generation, in partnership with the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project, in 2018 launched Energizing Student Potential, a STEM-focused energy program for grades 4 – 8 in their respective communities. This program brings together standards-based curriculum for use in the classroom or in afterschool programs in public and private schools. The program will help schools meet state standards for STEM, engage students in learning about energy within STEM, and help energize the energy workforce of tomorrow. Already in place in Exelon communities in Illinois (ComEd), Philadelphia (PECO), and Washington, D.C. (Pepco), the program has reached hundreds of thousands of students and hundreds of schools and teachers. We are pleased to bring this program to our Exelon Generation communities as well.
Energizing Student Potential is designed to help educators bring energy into the classroom and to provide all the tools and resources necessary for students and teachers to learn together, explore energy together, and teach their local communities about energy.
Teachers and students engage in science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities in the classroom while learning fundamental principles of energy use and conservation. Students learn best when engaged in inquiry learning — and the activities and explorations included in the program allow them to think, explore, share, and develop a profound respect for energy and the world around them.
We know that teaching others helps us learn as well and the Kids Teaching Kids philosophy woven throughout The NEED Project curriculum helps keep students of all learning styles engaged and excited to learn. The lessons and projects in this program are designed to allow students to teach their peers as well as their local community.
We hope you will join us for this exciting opportunity!
Adaptations and Offerings for School Year 2020-2021
- Virtual Training! Supplies for hands-on activities sent ahead to participating teachers and including sessions on teaching/using ESP virtually in your classroom.
- Mini-grants of up to $400 available via application to support additional ESP supplies or resources for the classroom.
- A Virtual ESP Energy Fair lesson plan and Zoom support for students to create the Fair, invite community members and request assistance to host on one of NEED’s Zoom platforms. ESP provides judges to review the projects at teacher request.
- Resources list for direct to student control – YouTube and Instagram Live sessions that connect to an ESP content area – electricity, solar, wind, efficiency, nuclear, as well as links to energy videos, virtual tours and more!
- Student Energy Team Trainings for small groups of students (clubs) with a NEED Certified Energy Manager and staff on managing energy use in the home (and in the school when able to return to school). Topics can include general energy, energy efficiency and conservation, engineering, and more.
- ESP Student Saturdays for ESP students. Teachers may share information and families may sign students up to participate. The family registers the student, students receive hands-on supplies and join the program for 60 minutes each Saturday for 3 weeks.
- Selection of Virtual Student Programs for teachers to select to “visit” the classroom and share a variety of lessons with students.
- Opportunities to request Exelon volunteers to chat with students during classroom periods to learn more about energy careers.
- Optional small ESP kits that schools could request for students (up to a certain amount with budget limits).
- Exelon-wide Energy Innovation Challenge for students to “opt in” for participation within a class or individually. ESP will host 4 training and enrichment sessions for students with a final project submission and showcase (virtually).
2020-2021 Program Resources
Program Management Software Site Log In
Project Submission (requires log in)
What is an Energy Audit? (PPT) – NOTE: 2020-2021 will be virtually adapted
Energy Fair Planning Tips (PPT) – NOTE: 2020-2021 will be virtually adapted
Virtual Energy Fair Poster Template (coming soon)
Teacher Evaluation (available spring 2021)
Student Evaluation (available spring 2021)
NEED Curriculum Guides – Science of Energy, Solar, Wind, Hydropower, Oil and Natural Gas, Nuclear, Energy Management AND MORE!
Energy Information Administration, State Data
PA Electric Connections
MD Electric Connections
NY Electric Connections
IL Electric Connections
Evaluation and Assessment
NGSS Correlation and Support
Science of Electricity
Interactive Energy Simulations
Excellent Energy Engineering
Digital Presentations For The Classroom
Grant management software provided by WizeHive