ACHS students win rookie of the year award
ACHS students made a name for Adair County last week when the Energy Technology Career Academy received the National High School Rookie of the Year award from the National Energy Education Development Project.
“I’m overwhelmed,” said Heather Spoon, ETCA director. “I never expected the students to be named National Rookie of the Year. I’m so proud of the kids.”
The students received the award for putting solar panels on the high school over spring break earlier this year.
Spoon worked with Sun Air Systems to put solar panels on the high schools in Adair and Russell counties during spring break. They will compare electric bills to see how much the solar panels saved the school system in electricity.
Spoon and the students didn’t do the project for the award.
“We didn’t work on the project to win an award, we did it to learn more about solar energy,” Spoon said. “The project was a lot of work, but it was worth it to see the kids be excited about finishing a solar panel.”
They had already completed the project and had kept documentation of the process, so they decided to enter the project for the award, Spoon said.
One goal of the ETCA is that the students have increased skills in technology and knowledge on renewable resources.
“It is causing them to be more aware of the world around (them),” Spoon said earlier this year.
“This is our future,” said J.D. Coomer, ETCA student. “This is what’s going to be happening in the next 20, 50 years. This will create jobs for everybody.”
Students are also learning about the world around them and how energy affects their daily lives.
“We don’t have to rely on non-renewable sources,” said Jacob Burton, ETCA student. “It will save a lot of money in the long run.”
Earlier this school year, Brittany Combs, junior, won the National Youth Leadership Award. She received an invitation to a week-long stay in Washington to study law and forensics.
Coomer won an award from the Ford Foundation in a FordPas activity where he was one of six students in the country to be recognized.
Coomer also taught lessons in leadership as apart of the ETCA.
“I like the teamwork, and this made me realize what it takes to be a true leader in a group,” Coomer said.
ETCA Director Spoon worked to put the documentation of the project together for the award and can be looked at on her blog, at lwcenergyacademy.blogspot.com.
“She put in a lot of effort into this,” Burton said. “She’s dedicated a lot of her time and energy.”
The students will go to Washington, D.C. in June for the NEED National Youth Awards. The registration will be around $500 per student.
“I’m looking forward (to) going to Washington to present this—hopefully we can change some minds about solar energy,” Coomer said.
The ETCA will hold fundraisers to pay for the trip and will accept donations. To donate to the ETCA for the trip to Washington, contact Heather Spoon at 378-1215 or spoonh@lindsey.edu.
By Allison Hollon
allison@accvonline.com
