New Mexico Energy Education Competition
Renew Our Schools is a powerful hands-on energy action program for K-12 students. Through a partnership with Pivot Energy, Resource Central is pleased to offer FREE participation to schools across New Mexico. Our lesson plans are designed to meet students where they are in their energy education journey while achieving common teaching standards in a variety of categories. Enroll today or scroll on to learn more.
How Does It Work
The Competition
Once enrolled, you will be placed into a cohort of similarly sized schools in your students’ age range. Earn as many points as possible during the competition by completing School Energy Actions (SEAs). SEAs are designed to be adapted to any K-12 age group, regardless of your student’s level of prior energy knowledge.
The Tools
Every school will receive a Toolkit to support students learning in the classroom. The toolkit includes light meters, infrared thermometers, and kill-o-watts. Our School Energy Actions will teach you how to use these tools.
The Lessons
Preparing your school for success takes “energy,” but the effort is worth it. The team lead, whether a teacher, administrator, parent, or volunteer, will have immediate access to Teacher Guides and helpful Lesson Plans upon enrollment. Teachers designed the materials so you will focus less on how to compete and more on what you do best: TEACHING!
The Cost
Pivot Energy’s donation supports FREE enrollment for 10 schools. Even better, the first 10 schools to enroll will also receive a FREE toolkit that is yours to keep! Use your toolkit again when you participate in Renew Our Schools next year.
The Prize
The winning school will get a free eGauge and entry into a STAR level of Renew Our Schools competition. The prize package is valued at $2,350!
Join the competition!
September 18th – October 27th, 2023
Deadline to enroll is September 1st!
Classroom Support
Teacher Guide
Download an example SPARK competition Teacher Guide
School Energy Action
Download an example School Energy Action Lesson Plan
eGauge Overview
Learn more about real time energy monitors
Competition Readiness
Participation is as easy as 1-2-3
Community Reviews
4.7 star rating overall
“This was certainly far more stimulating for my students than I ever thought possible. Our school community was very supportive. My students’ enthusiasm was contagious and rubbed off on others.”
Lisa Konkel, Big Foot Union High School
“It’s very engaging for the kids! The incentives are phenomenal (which helps with engagement). I also like how real it is with the eGauge, etc.”
Participant Feedback, 2022
“This was our school’s second try at the competition and our experience went well! We received great support from our school community including our principal, {privacy} and our custodian. For example, during our classroom competition, our school lowered its energy by 10%! That big success could have not happened without super supportive people. Despite the challenges of being super busy with other things like: school camp and other big school events and trips, we were an enthusiastic squad that made our namesake (9 Volt Jerry) proud!”
Jeff McKean, SAGES
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the competition last?
The Renew Our Schools competition is planned to last five weeks. If your school has a holiday/break during that time, update your weekly entries when you return and pick up where you left off.
How many schools will we compete against?
Every competition varies, although we try to accommodate a maximum of 10 schools in each cohort. We group schools together based on age of students and size of the school to level the playing field as much as possible.
We are a very small/large school. Will this still work for us?
Yes, absolutely. We’ve had schools as small as 25 students participating in our competition before. You have the flexibility to modify School Energy Actions to meet your needs.
I represent a group/club. Will this work for us?
Yes! Sustainability clubs, Green Teams, and other extracurriculars make great competitors in Renew Our Schools!
Do I have to be an energy expert to lead a team?
No! Our program is designed to be student led. Our Lesson Plans and Teacher Guide will help point you in the right direction so you and your students can learn together!
How much time will this take to compete?
Each class is unique in how they approach Renew Our Schools. Previous winners have committed 45 minutes – 1 hour each week of the competition.
What will I pay and when?
Nothing! Thanks to our partnership with Pivot Energy, we’re pleased to offer a SPARK competition in New Mexico that is completely FREE to the first 10 schools that enroll. At the time of enrollment you will be prompted for a coupon code. Use the coupon code PivotNM and your fee will be reduced to $0!
For more information or to speak with a member of our support team, contact us using the button below.