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The National Energy Foundation (NEF) co-hosts student competitions throughout the US, locally and nationally. These competitions allow students to fully engage with what they have learned in classroom presentations and share energy literacy messages within their community.

The PPL Electric Utilities school programs offered two contests for students in the fall of 2019. Students located in PPL territory in kindergarten through eighth grade could enter the PPL Bright Ideas Poster Contest. High school students that participated in the PPL Electric Utilities Innovation program in their classrooms were eligible to enter the Innovation Challenge. Both contests asked students to be creative in communicating their ideas on energy and water efficiency to their respective communities. With over 800 poster entries, and over 60 qualified high school entries, judging was difficult. In the end, a panel of judges from PPL Electric Utilities and NEF were able to narrow the entries down to the winners in each category.

While delivering prizes*, teachers and students alike had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the community outreach these contests bring. “Thank you so much! The kids have selected a science field trip they want to go on, with some of the money!  Some of these kids don’t get the chance to go places outside of their hometown. So, this is a neat opportunity for them!” Veronica Klimchak from Dauphin County Technical School said. You can view Caden’s grand prize-winning entry for the Innovation Challenge at https://youtu.be/tX5QXo6MnpA

Caden S., grand prize winner and junior at Dauphin County Technical School, and his teacher, Veronica Klimchak, are joined by John Hollinger and Mary Ann Kelly-Merenda from PPL Electric Utilities and Stephanie Dorman from the National Energy Foundation.

“I have never felt so special.”

Paige A., 5th grade
Paige A., honorable mention winner in 5th grade at Dunmore Elementary Center.

“I am so happy you are here! This class really needs this to lift them up.”

Dr. Jennifer Murphy, principal at Lititz Elementary
Honorable mention winner Liz R., 6th grade,  with her teacher, Mr. Daecher and principal, Dr. Jennifer Murphy, after being surprised with her honorable mention win. 

Below you will find a full list of our winners for the 2019 contest season. Please visit our websites, http://thinkenergy.org/brightideas-poster-contest/ to view the winning posters and pplelectric.com/innovation to see the winning Innovation Challenge entries.

*The poster contest prizes consist of $25-100 Amazon gift cards, pizza or ice cream parties for classes and $100 classroom mini-grants for teachers. The video contest prizes include wireless Beats by Dre™ wireless headphones and $250-500 classroom grants for teachers.

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