2. Generations of Energy
STEM Grant
Interim Report
Page 1 of 2
Background
The Generations of Energy project is a collaborative effort between Horizons Alternative High
School, New Power Tour, and Michigan Tech University’s Efficiency through Engineering and
Construction (ETEC) program. The project gives students classroom education and hands-on
experience in conducting energy efficiency audits and winterizing homes, providing them with
insight into STEM careers and experience to strengthen college and job applications.
This project is unique because it brings together and benefits three diverse populations - at-
risk youth, university engineering students, and low-income (primarily elderly) individuals and
families. Moreover, it aligns with the goals of the Michigan STEM Partnership by supporting a
culture of applied learning that is hands-on, cross-disciplinary, and project-based. The
objectives of this project are to provide under-served youth with an opportunity to learn STEM
skills and apply them to the real world, and to help low-income community residents save
money on their energy bills.
Summary of Project Implementation
Program Timeframe Activity
June 3, 2014 –
July 31, 2014
WUPMWA staff compiled information for STEM careers related to the skills
students will learn in Generations of Energy program
August 1, 2014–
October 9, 2014
WUPMWA staff worked with Horizons instructors to incorporate career pathways
information into program curriculum
Presentation to Horizon Students on 10/9/2014, ETEC presented the costs and
value of making a home energy efficient through winterization, WUPMWA staff
spoke about STEM careers related to home winterizations and the services that
Michigan Works! offers to jobseekers
October 10, 2014 –
December 15, 2014
Students learned how to perform energy audits, winterizations, and collect data
Students learned about career pathways and get resume, job coaching support
Students collected pre-winterization energy data and performed winterizations
Students collected post-winterization data
Students did an LED lightbulb installation on 12/4/214, raising $1,800 for future
winterizations
Horizons staff kept track of program participation and submitted to WUPMWA
WUPMWA continues to track spending throughout program
December 15, 2014 WUPMWA staff submit interim written report
December 16, 2014 –
April 1, 2015
Students continue to perform energy audits, winterizations, and collect data
Horizons staff continue to track program participation and submit to WUPMWA
WUPMWA continues to track spending throughout program
April 15, 2015 WUPMWA staff submit final written report
3. Generations of Energy
STEM Grant
Interim Report
Page 2 of 2
Summary of Lessons Learned
Horizons and ETEC students are engaged in the project and are proud to be helping out members
of their community. The work they are doing substantially help residents and it takes a relatively
short amount of time to complete. It is gratifying for the students to work on project where the
results can be seen right away. Students are picking up the skills needed to winterize homes with
ease. Skills include accurately caulking windows and floor trim, installing insulation on water
heaters, and performing rim joist seals (measuring, cutting blue board, and use of a foam gun). A
few of the Horizons students that participated in the project last year have sought out carpentry
training because of the positive experience they had. It is clear that the program has a direct
impact on the students.
Scheduling time for both groups of students (high school and college students) to perform the
winterizations has been a bit of a challenge. Even though it is only mid-December, the schools
have already had multiple snow days that have impacted the schedule. Even so, the actual
winterizations are going very well.
Transportation logistics for high school students could be improved. New Power Tour plans to
contact the bus transportation coordinator for Horizons Alternative High School. Background
information about the project will be provided to emphasize the importance of prioritizing
transportation for home winterizations.
Recommendations for Future Projects
Future projects could be expanded to provide opportunities for students to meet with various
professionals in the home winterization and STEM industry. Additionally, students could tour
colleges and training institutions in their region to further explore opportunities for STEM education.
Sustainability of Completed Project
This project could be repeated in years to come with additional funding. Depending on the amount
of funding, it could be expanded to engage additional students and provide additional home
winterizations.
Next Steps
Next steps for the Generations of Energy project include scheduling home winterizations for the
months of January, February, and March 2015. Once the schedule has been set, students will
continue to provide high-quality home winterizations for low-income individuals.
