 Youth Energy Summit (YES!)
Twenty-one teams of teenagers from across southwest and west-central Minnesota are currently engaged in YES! 2009-2010. Their initiative, imagination, and hard work will be visible around our region as they work on energy action projects to increase energy efficiency and promote renewable energy.
YES! 2009-2010 held its first event October 20 at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, with 135 students from grades 8 through 12 attending, along with 20 adult coaches. Participants visited the Southwest Minnesota Career Expo, which featured over 20 energy-related exhibitors. Teams also took part in a step-by-step action-planning process and team-building activities.
Current Energy Action Projects
Teams are currently working on energy action projects ranging from recycling program expansion to solar panel installation. Grants totaling more than $52,000 were recently awarded to 20 of the 21 participating teams to assist with their projects. Grant funding was provided by SWIF, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace: An Alliance for Talent Development.
Check out current projects!
Resources for Coaches
YES! Student Liability Release Form – Please have each student submit a signed form
Parent Information – To be given to parents along with liability release form
YES! Team Grant Guidelines – Please read carefully prior to completing the application
YES! Team Grant Application Form – Submission deadline is Dec. 7, 2009
YES! Team Publicity Guidelines – Please refer to this document regarding use of the YES! logo and language to be included in marketing materials, web sites, communications regarding YES!
- YES! is a team-oriented youth program.
- YES! addresses energy opportunities and issues through hands-on, experiential learning events and energy action projects.
- YES! teams can be fielded by schools, community groups, churches and youth organizations.
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| Students participating in YES! develop knowledge, networks and leadership skills through hands-on, experiential learning events and energy action projects in their schools, organizations, communities and beyond. |
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Who is YES!?
- Student teams of up to 12 core participants from grades 8 through 12 (additional students may participate in school and community activities and projects)
- One or two adult coaches per team, such as teachers or community members
- Facilitators from the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center, Spicer, or the Prairie Ecology Bus Center, Lakefield
- IMPORTANT NOTE: 2009-2010 program will accept up to 22 teams
What is YES!?
During the school year, students and their coaches form teams to:
- Participate in hands-on, experiential learning events, including attending three required events during the school year to increase their knowledge about energy issues
- Develop energy action projects in their schools and communities
Click here for examples of energy action projects from previous years.
- Connect with professional resources for assistance with projects
- Compete with other YES! teams in cooperative learning environment
- Receive prizes for outstanding efforts
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YES! Fees and Resources
- Participation fee: $50 per student to defray costs of food, T-shirts and expenses
- Available funding: Schools and organizations hosting a team may apply for up to
- $750 for travel and substitute teacher expenses
- $1,000 for coach stipends
- $1,000 for energy action project implementation
Why YES!?
For renewable energy, conservation, climate change and more!
- Develop knowledge, networks and leadership skills
- Increase career awareness and economic opportunities
- Implement energy action projects in partnership with community and business leaders
- Empower and involve youth
Say YES!
Be part of this growing opportunity to take real action and address the energy future of your community! To enroll or for more information on YES!:
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| YES! equips youth to take real action and address energy future in their communities through renewable energy, conservation, climate change and more! |
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2008-09 YES! Program
Watch our 2008 YES Video to catch highlights of the summit activities!
2009 Winter Workshop recap and grant announcement
2008-2009 Energy Action Projects and Awards
Participating 2008-09 Teams
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City |
Morris |
Canby |
New London-Spicer |
Glencoe-Silver Lake |
Redwood Valley |
Hutchinson |
Springfield |
Marshall |
Willmar |
Montevideo |
Yellow Medicine East |
2008-09 Energy Action Projects
Springfield Grand Prize ($1,500) & Carbon Footprint ($500) Awards
Springfield’s overall goals were to minimize waste, decrease dependence on fossil fuels, and increase energy awareness. Through their energy action projects they:
- Engaged elementary students in a carbon footprint educational challenge surveying each student’s home footprint. Taught students through relay games and activities such as “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and working with wind turbine/solar panel models
- Implemented a school plastics and aluminum recycling program using a student study hall rotation to empty bins
- Researched cafeteria food waste composting & red worms
- Worked through the MN Schools Cutting Carbon Challenge to initiate a high school building energy audit
- Conducted a weekly text messaging campaign to 200+ phones with energy facts and energy saving habits and provided awareness to 300 attendees through an exhibit at the Springfield Home and Garden Show
New London-Spicer Second-Place ($1,000) and Community Engagement ($500) Awards
New London-Spicer’s goals were to increase community awareness, raise funds to help make the Little Theatre “green”, and to promote local foods. Through their energy action projects they:
- Connected with local foods distributors and sold products at the Little Theatre concession stand
- Distributed information on local foods in the community and worked to add local foods and green products in local stores
- Raised awareness of conservation by writing song lyrics and creating a game show for Little Theatre events
- Raised $11,000 to help make the Little Theater more energy efficient and environmentally friendly
- Began a senior community gardening project
Willmar Third Place ($750) & Economic Impact ($500) Awards
Willmar’s goals were to promote and produce locally-grown produce, provide fresh winter produce and local food education to schools, food sellers/preparers, and the local food shelf. Through their energy action projects they:
- Worked with consultants and community partners to continue to renovate a greenhouse that uses solar and biomass technologies
- Grew fresh produce for Willmar Public schools and donated over 100 pounds of produce to the Willmar Area Food Shelf
- Students experimented with various soil supplements, insulation for the water tank, and feed stocks for a biomass boiler provided last year by Aquatherm using Sunrise Agra Biofuel pellets
- Educated community through a community open house, and planned to raise funds through a webcast fund-raising telethon on May 8, 2009
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (ACGC) Energy Conservation Award ($500)
The ACGC goals were to reduce the high school’s energy consumption, improve their recycling program, implement a compost system, and convey awareness to the students and community members on energy savings and carbon emission reduction. They also had a long-term goal of implementing an alternative energy source at the high school. Through their energy action projects they:
- Installed 130 CFL bulbs donated by Kandiyohi Power Cooperative and Meeker Power Cooperative in area homes
- Analyzed waste reduction and composting opportunities through sorting cafeteria waste
- Sold 240 reusable grocery bags
- Worked with administration and custodial staff to research costs and usage for electricity, heating and waste removal for their school
- Raised awareness at the school with “Go Green” educational activities
Lac qui Parle Valley (LQPV) Long-term Vision Award ($500)
LQPV ‘s goals were to compost trash from the school lunch program and use the compost to grow vegetables in the school’s indoor greenhouse, install solar PV panels to offset the greenhouse’s energy consumption, and to educate fifth and sixth grade students on composting. Through their energy action projects they:
- Used the schools’ indoor greenhouse, worked with community partners and businesses to install a reverse osmosis system, learn about oxygenating water and composting, and grow vegetable plants
- Educated public about phantom loads, CFLs, and other energy conservation methods at the Great Western Minnesota Get-Together
- Purchased red worm compost kits for three elementary classrooms and prepared an educational program with recycling and composting activities
- Received grant funds of over $11,000 to install solar panels at the school
Canby
Implemented a recycling program at Elementary school, created script to shut off computers in labs automatically, and researched solar energy for the high school.
Glencoe/Silver Lake
Researched technologies and costs related to energy efficient lighting and air hand dryers
Marshall
Taught 132 fourth grade students about energy-smart habits and gave each student an “Energy First Aid Kit” with a biodegradable and renewable bottle and bag, a magnetic energy-saving checklist, and coupons for CFL bulbs
Morris
Improved their school-wide recycling program, held an electronic waste collection day, collected data from a community-wide survey on environmentally friendly living
Redwood Valley
Demonstrated the use of food waste as a potential energy source by constructing model digesters and composters using separated food waste from the school cafeteria and educated the community on the energy use of light bulbs by creating a light display and energy bicycle
Click here for YES! 2007-08 program highlights.
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Additional Youth Energy Programs in Minnesota
Check out the programs and Web sites below to see what youth are doing statewide to capitalize on renewable energy opportunities.
Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon is helping 100 schools in the state save money and reduce their carbon footprints through online tools, technical assistance, and mini-grants.
www.schoolscuttingcarbon.org
Youth Environmental Activists Minnesota (YEA! MN) is a student led organization co-sponsored by the Will Steger Foundation and Alliance for Sustainability, committed to utilizing a collaborative student voice to inspire change within our schools, our communities, and our state.
www.yeamn.org
The Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) Project is made up of community members across Minnesota who share a bold vision for Minnesota's energy future: to foster strong communities, to create local jobs, and to develop clean and reliable energy from clean sources.
www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org
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