Arctic Directory: Middle school students become ‘Energy Einsteins’

Alaska Resource Education, formerly AMEREF, said April 27 that 25 Central Middle School of Science students became the first “Energy Einstein’s.” Alaska Resource Education, in partnership with the Petroleum Club of Alaska, Baker Hughes and Shell Exploration and Production, presented the day-long Student Energy Education Day, exploring the fundamentals of energy by using Alaska Resource Education’s standards-based K-12 curriculum.

Among the topics covered during this first “Energy Einstein’s” program, students learned about the fundamentals of oil and gas production through presentations by Shell and Baker Hughes, including hands-on activities with drill bits, drilling muds and other components of the drilling process. They also learned about various career possibilities in the energy sector with an interview panel, and explored what middle and high school subjects are necessary to take advantage of those possibilities. The program will continue to grow during the 2011 school year with other sponsors and energy topics. Alaska Resource Education is a nonprofit organization in partnership with the State of Alaska Department of Education and private industry dedicated to ensuring Alaska’s school age children learn about the role resources play in Alaska.