Session: 14-01 Conference Poster Presentation

Paper Number: 107400

107400 - Energy in Action - an Energy Education Outreach Program for High Schools in Disadvantaged Communities of Alabama 

The Alabama Energy Transformation Initiative (AETI), a Department of Energy Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize Winner team, explored ways in which energy science and management training can fit into 9th to 12th grade and college education experiences, and investigate student learning outcomes and the program impact. The Energy in Action track of AETI is an engineering education outreach program aimed at teaching the fundamentals of energy science, technology, and management and preparing interested students at majority-minority high schools for a career and higher education in energy through mentoring by college students, most of whom (7 out of 8) are underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). College students will travel to local majority-minority high schools around the greater Tuscaloosa area to deliver lectures and hands-on activities about different energy topics, such as renewable energy, energy conservation, etc. for up to 50 high school students.

According to the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, many of the Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, AL area communities are disadvantaged in clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, and workforce development. Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, AL areas also have a large percentage of racial minorities, especially with the percentage of Black or African American residents significantly higher than the national average, and persons in poverty according to the 2021 United States Census. Students from a low socio-economic status (SES) have the least exposure to clean energy, the industry’s growing job opportunities, and the skills to become qualified applicants for those jobs.

If a school does not prioritize exposure to environmental issues and clean energy technology in schools, their students will be less likely to pursue a career in the field compared to schools that had the resources to include environmental education in their curriculum. Alabama has no environmental education requirement in its public schools, leaving many of its students without access or exposure to the skills or job opportunities available in the clean energy industry. In 2021, the state established the Alabama STEM Council to address the shortcomings of STEM education and workforce development. As the state works to improve STEM education, clean energy also needs to be emphasized.

An important contribution of this research is that we address recent interest in developing youth education programs for an inclusive and just transition to clean energy. Education in the United States does not emphasize the importance of clean energy or environmentally friendly behavior, so many students, including those in Alabama, do not see these jobs as a potential career path or even know they exist, further exacerbating the need for qualified workers in the clean energy industry. Closing this gap and educating students is one of the most immediate and critical steps in the movement to clean energy.

Presenting Author: Yakera Ward The University of Alabama

Presenting Author Biography: My name is Yakera Ward. I am currently in my 4th year as an undergraduate environmental engineer at the University of Alabama. Here, I serve as Finance Chair for the National Society of Black Engineers among several other on campus activities. One mainly being Energy in Action, I serve as a mentor to high school students teaching them the fundamentals of energy science and developing technology. This program has allowed me to merge my passion for keeping the earth sustainable and sharing knowledge into one. My goal in my undergraduate studies is to eventually aid in solving the great problem of conversion within renewable energy sources. I make an effort towards this goal daily by joining programs like energy in Action and furthering my leadership skills. I’ve worked for the second largest paper company in the world, collaborated on major scale projects, and attended conferences on this path to becoming the change I’d like to see. Sustainability is more than a dream for me, it’s something I plan to make a reality for the entirety of my planet.