School district recognized for energy conservation efforts | Briefs

For the Reporter

A coordinated effort to reduce utility costs throughout the Kent School District (KSD), including energy audits and conservation incentives, has resulted in a 12-percent reduction in energy use in the past 43 months.

Cenergistic recognized the achievement with the presentation of its Environmental Excellence Award at the district’s board meeting on Sept. 23.

Kim Wilbur and Sean Kelly, energy specialists for KSD, conduct weekly energy audits of all KSD facilities to examine energy efficiency and track energy consumption. The audits follow a program of energy conservation that is supported through a strategic partnership with Cenergistic, a national energy conservation company. Funds to pay for the program come from the existing utility budget, which has not increased since 2010 because of increased energy efficiency.

“This achievement belongs to each and every person throughout the District who remains mindful of reducing energy consumption,” said Richard Stedry, KSD chief business officer. “When you turn out the lights in your classroom or workspace, power down your computer or reduce water use, your efforts add up to a significant reduction in resource use.”

Wilbur and Kelly analyze energy use throughout the organization’s systems, to ensure that energy is used as efficiently as possible, using Cenergistic’s energy management software. The audits take place when buildings are unoccupied and verify that energy-using equipment is powered down and the computerized energy monitoring systems are operating accurately.

“Strong support from everyone involved in the organization has created an atmosphere of cooperation that should continue to grow and ensure even greater success well into the future,” said William S. Spears, chairman and founder of Cenergistic.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Emissions and Generation Integrated Resource Database figures, in the first 43 months of the program, KSD saved 84,983 MMBTU, the equivalent of 3,786 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions being prevented, 789 cars removed from the road, or 97,072 pine trees grown for 10 years. The program also delivers an environmental benefit from a reduced carbon footprint.

Teacher earns grant

Douglas Ferguson, a teacher at Martin Sortun Elementary School in Kent, recently received a $2,000 grant through Voya Financial’s 2015 Unsung Heroes awards competition.

Voya Financial awards grants to K-12 educators nationwide to honor their innovative teaching methods, creative educational projects and their ability to positively influence the children they teach. Since 1996, the Voya Unsung Heroes program has awarded more than $4.5 million in grants.

Ferguson’s innovative teaching idea, problem-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning, is focused on implementing a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) program, which asks students to apply real-life context through the PBL approach to solving a problem. Tapping into their natural curiosity, ability to collaborate and interest in solving problems, students will use robots, draft 3D designs, and use other STEM tools to solve real-world challenges, making learning relevant to their personal lives.

Ferguson said this approach will not only increase student achievement, but also develop a cohort of students prepared to face 21st century challenges.

Selected from a group of nearly 1,000 applicants, Ferguson is one 100 winners throughout the country, and the only one in the state, who will receive this award to help fund and bring his program to life. He will compete with other finalists for one of the top three prizes — an additional $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000 from Voya Financial.

Elsewhere

Kent’s Hazen Johnson (senior, computer science) was named to the spring semester dean’s list at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. The dean’s list recognizes students who have achieved a grade-point average between 3.50 and 3.99 for the semester. … Kent’s Faaiuga Areta has been named to the dean’s List at Pacific University (Ore.) for spring semester. …

The following students from Kent earned undergraduate degrees at Washington State University: Lauren Ann Armstrong (bachelor of science, nursing, summa cum laude); Melinda Elise Blain (bachelor of arts, business administration); Marsha E. Burnworth (B.S.,nursing, summa cum laude); Wai Yi Chan (B.S., psychology); Rupinder Kaur Chohan (B.A., business administration); Andrew B. Clements (B.S., mechanical engineering); Courtney Danielle Hammer (B.A., humanities); Sean Paul Hartnett (B.A., in business administration); Auriona Noelle Harvey (B.S., kinesiology, cum laude); Matthew Lane Moloney (B.S., mechanical engineering); Shannon Marie Paglia (bachelor of arts, human development); Justin Ramos (B.A., business administration); Kendal Lee Rodwell (B.S., psychology); Vanessa Lee Sing (B.A., humanities); Victoria-Anne Miechi Tamabayashi (B.A., communication); Selina Villagomez (B.A., criminal justice and criminology).