Wes Walker-Kern Valley Sun

In another effort to bring new, innovate and creative ways to explore science into the classroom, Woodrow Wallace Middle School teacher Russ Muncy invited Gerald Loomer, program manager of the Southern California Edison Challenge program, to give a presentation to the students about electricity Tuesday morning.

Loomer traveled from University of Southern California’s Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, located in Catalina. The very informative presentation for Muncy’s class focused on the science of electricity and the various ways it can be generated. Loomer brought with him a bag of gadgets - to get students engaged prior to his presentation - to illustrate some of the more complex concepts about electricity, while introducing the students to Edison’s Challenge program. 'The Edison Challenge tries to encourage students to be good stewards of the environment,' explained Loomer. 'and to pass this information to others, and practice these principles in their everyday lives.'

Gerald Loomer shows a student in Russ Muncy’s science class a miniature electromagnetic gagdet.

The Edison Challenge is a scientific competition created by Edison International and the USC Wrigley Institute as a vehicle introduce young minds to the world of environmental science. 'The Edison Challenge is an exciting way for teams of teachers and students in grades 6-12 to explore environmental science,' claims the program’s website. According to Loomer, getting children interested and involved in environmental science is an important goal and one that he takes very seriously. 'In all of the history of the world, only 12 humans have set foot anywhere except the planet Earth,' explains Loomer. 'Earth is the home for all of humankind’Ķenvironmental science helps us keep our planet healthy and habitable.'

Each team participating in the Edison Challenge will consist of one teacher and six students from the same school. Each team will create an environmental science project that will compete for prizes given at the end of the competition. 'The students were extremely excited about the presentation on energy conservation and alternate fuels,' Muncy said, 'along with the possibility of winning a science trip to the Santa Catalina Islands or the Nevada Mountains.'¬Ý

There are two competition levels, one for middle school (grades 6-8) and one for high school (grades 9-12). The competition requires that projects follow this year’s theme, 'Energy and the Environment'. Projects also must fit into one of the following categories: energy transfer, energy conservation and energy efficiency, environmental protection and sustainability, renewable energy resources, air and water quality, and alternative transportation.

Before students can participate, however, they must meet a number of requirements. Interested students will be given a three-part application. First, they have to go to each of their classes and ask the teacher to verify they are earning a 'C' or better in the class. All students must have a 'C' or better in their core classes to apply. Next students are asked to list their strengths and skills, such as computers, art, writing, research, and list how and why they would be an asset to the team. Finally, students must write an essay explaining to Muncy why they should be picked as a member of the Edison Challenge Team. If all these requirements are met, the students will have a chance at being selected to participate in the Edison Challenge.

The Edison Challenge projects must include a new science lesson plan for younger students as well as a community service project, a proposal for a research project (high school only), a creative presentation documenting one of the project activities (poster or multimedia video), and a written portfolio of all the project activities.

Muncy reported that he and his students are excited and eager to get started on the project and Loomer is excited to see what they will produce. 'I had a wonderful time at Woodrow Wallace Middle School,' Loomer said. 'The students and staff were wonderful and their excitement

was contagious. The students were very receptive to the Edison Challenge Program and I am expecting to see great projects come from Woodrow Wallace.'¬Ý

For more information about the program visit http://www.usc.edu/org/edisonchallenge/.