Each year, electric cooperatives send local teachers to a two-day “Energy in Today’s Classroom” course, which is hosted by Central Electric Power Cooperative. This year, the course was held on August 1 and 2 in Jefferson City, Missouri.

In coordination with Lewis County REC, Northeast Power sponsored one teacher for the program this year: Leslie Durst, Agricultural Education Teacher at Canton Schools.

The course included speakers from Central Electric Power Cooperative, The University of Missouri, Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., Three Rivers Electric Cooperative, Callaway Electric Cooperative and Cuivre River Electric Cooperative. Topics covered during the professional development program included: energy basics, energy sources, economics and energy production, electrical safety, energy efficiency and electric vehicles.  In addition, the teachers completed hands on energy projects and completed a tour of the power generation station at the University of Missouri.

The overall objective of the course was to provide educators with an understanding of what it takes to deliver electricity to homes, schools and businesses. During the course, the teachers were provided with hands-on demonstrations of electrical teaching aides that can later be used in their classrooms. The course also allowed for all teachers to receive fifteen professional development hours.