This spring our Clean, Local Energy Alliance – Now! (CLEA-N) project sponsored the Penny-Smart & Earth-Wise Story contest.  Students in 4 of the 5 Iowa County high schools participated and cash prizes went to the teams in each school with the best “story."

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Contestants were challenged to create a compelling message that would encourage their school district to form an energy efficiency team. Scores of school districts across Wisconsin have found that similar teams were able to cut energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The contest required the projects to include the “how and why” a district would benefit by reducing energy use. Additionally, each entry described a specific “pet project” that the students thought would be a good fit for their own individual school.

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Next Steps

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Students in both the Mineral Point and Dodgeville high schools are eager to take advantage of the excitement and momentum generated by their projects.  This summer, students from those schools and CLEA-N are hosting Penny-Wise Power Picnics in their communities. The Mineral Point picnic will be held the evening of Monday, June 12.  Dodgeville’s event will be the evening of Tuesday, July 11. These events are an opportunity for interested folks to get acquainted and plan initial steps. 

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Want to get involved? Community members are welcome to attend, but first please first get in touch for details.  Are you interested but not free those evenings? We’ll gladly add you to a contact roster. Contact Chuck Tennessen - Climate and Energy Specialist charles@driftlessconservancy.org or 608-341-0641 (c).

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DALC is excited to tap into the energy and enthusiasm of our youth.  We’re so grateful for your support in helping us build a better future for us all.