About:

The Vermont Energy Education Program was founded in 1979 by staff members of the Vermont Departments of Public Service and Education in response to teacher requests for information about energy and the environment during the oil embargo and long gas station lines of that year.

Since then, VEEP has created multi-faceted programs that teach complex scientific concepts at levels appropriate for elementary, middle school, and high school students. Not only have the students come to understand important basic concepts in science, but their teachers have often commented that they themselves better understood those concepts after VEEP classroom presentations.

VEEP's practical and thoughtful program serves the cause of science education in many and often unexpected ways.

Today, VEEP is a program of Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, a non-profit organization, and is funded by the Vermont Department of Public Service, Efficiency Vermont, the U.S. Department of Energy, and participating schools.

WHAT WE DO

VEEP's work is to engender a deep understanding of what energy is and how to use it wisely, in order to enable energy-usage choices that will result in a sustainable, vital economy and in a healthy environment. Basic science skills are a pre-requisite for developing such an understanding. VEEP provides these best-practice skills to students and teachers.

Through hands-on/minds-on techniques, VEEP programs teach math and science process skills, while enabling students to build conceptsabout the science and technology of energy production and about the efficient use of resources. This approach helps students and teachers to understand some of the most important issues facing the 21st century and introduces them to the array of potential solutions. Energy is a rich topic of study, providing opportunities to explore technology, social issues, arts, persuasive and technical writing and more, depending on the needs and desires of the school, the curriculum and the teacher.

All VEEP teacher training is based on education for sustainable energy use. Our coursework employs a Constructivist approach to building or constructing math, science, and technology concepts about energy and our environment. Guided discovery learning experiences are provided for teachers to enable them to build science concepts and implement the learning opportunities in their science classes. VEEP's courses, workshops, and presentations, address Vermont standards. Credit is available to teachers where requested. Consider a partnership with VEEP when planning your science curriculum.

VEEP's practical program serves the cause of science education in many and often unexpected ways. For example, students who usually do not perform well academically succeed in constructing operating electricity generators and solar concentrators. Students have boiled water, using the sun's energy during Vermont winters. Boys and girls score well on VEEP assessments. VEEPs' Green Schools programs at Cabot and St. Johnsbury Academy have saved the school thousands of dollars in energy operating expenses.

VEEP's work is primarily in classroom presentations and teacher training in schools but its educational mission extends beyond schools. If you are interested in a VEEP program for a community or church group, library, fair or event, or for a museum, please contact us.

SOME VEEP ACTIVITIES HIGHLIGHTS

VEEP's core work is in schools, where we give presentations and help to develop classroom programs throughout the state. We have worked in, or are currently working in, the following schools: Barre City Elementary and Middle, Berlin Elementary, Burlington High, Cabot Schools, Champlain Elementary, Crossett Brook School, East Montpelier Elementary, Good Shepard School, Hazen Union High School, Lyndon Town School, Mt. Anthony High School, Mt. Mansfield High, Newport Schools, North Branch, North Country Union Junior High, Northfield Elementary, Northfield High School, Riverside School, Saxon’s River, Sharon Academy, St. Johnsbury Academy, St. Johnsbury Elementary and Middle School, Stowe Middle and High, Waits River Valley, Williamstown High, and Windsor State.

If you'd like to add your school to our list of associated schools, look over our programs and give us a call.

2002-2003

Recognition: Vermont Education for Sustainability Project Partners, "Veep is an EFS Network Leader whose innovation, commitment, and leadership prepare our students and communities to create a sustainable future."

* SolarFest Camp staff training
* SolarFest Exhibit
* Ben & Jerry's Employee Day, demonstration
* Vermont Junior Solar Sprint, Burlington
* VSA/VSBA Convention for School Boards and Superintendents
* Community Connections after school program, Montpelier

2001-2002

* Presentation at Vermont National Education Association's Annual Educator's Convention
* Youth Environmental Summit, Montpelier
* "VEEP and the Cabot Green Schools," presented at Making Connections Conference, Montpelier
* Light Night at Cabot School
* Professional development programs for teachers:

* "Teaching Renewable Energy"
* "Green Schools"
* "Applying Vermont's Science Assessment"
* "VEEP Buzz: Hands-on Electricity"

1999-2000

* Vermont Earth Day
* Began Green Schools program/ Energy Efficiency program at Cabot School
* School-to-Work Program participant, Derby Line and Barre Elementary and Middle School.
* Supporting Classroom Teachers EFS
* Pilot workshop on solar energy at Eagle Rock School, Colorado

1998-1999

* Scientist-in-the-Classroom Program
* Summer Institute: "Working and Thinking Like and Energy Engineer"
* Partnership with School Energy Management Program
* Central Vermont School Learning Fair, Montpelier
* Grant to develop Green Schools Program in Vermont

1997-1998

* Teacher Training Program: "Hands-on Electricity for K-8 Teachers" at Lyndon State College
* Developed hands-on programs that fulfilled requirements of standards-based science education
* Designed, promoted, and conducted energy education services for Vermont educators to meet educators' and students' need for standards-based science education:

"Energy Scientist in the Classroom Residency,"
"Constructivists, Inquiry, Science Methods" (a graduate-level course for teachers)
"Solar Workshops" (to provide teachers with information, science methods, and equipment for teaching units on solar energy and environmental impact).