PECO Energizing Education Program (PEEP)

PECO, The NEED Project, and The Franklin Institute partner together to provide local schools with the PECO Energizing Education Program (PEEP).  The PEEP program includes teacher workshops, curriculum, kits, and several other activities for schools to participate in throughout the year.  They sponsor Energy Fairs and Educational Energy Audits for participating schools.   In addition, schools are invited to participate in the PECO Innovation Challenge.  This challenge engages students in exploring energy and seeking solutions to the energy challenges of today and tomorrow.  The PECO Innovation Challenge participants showcase their solutions at the PECO Innovation Challenge Showcase at the Franklin Institute.  They also participate in a STEM Career Symposium.

Holy Rosary has been a part of this program for the past three years.  The students choose a topic related to energy.  In 2017-2018, the students choose to research and complete an investigation about which type of lightbulb is the most energy-efficient.  In 2018-2019, Holy Rosary sent two teams to the Innovation Challenge.  One team built a microgrid, a self-sufficient energy system.  A hurricane had devastated Puerto Rico and the island lost power for a long time.  The students were looking for ways to solve this problem, so places would have a self-sufficient energy system if a natural disaster occurred.  The other team explored renewable energy sources and built a solar energy Lego house.  As part of the Innovative Challenge, the students attend a STEM Career Symposium.  The organization invites a variety of scientists and engineers to speak with the students and answer their questions.   

Each year, our school also participates in an energy audit.  A PECO auditor will come to our school and tour it with the students.  The students will tour the boiler and mechanical room.  The auditor explains how the school receives power, heat, and water.  The auditor teaches the students how to use different tools and the students measure the temperature of the water, the light level of the classrooms, the voltage in sockets, etc.  The students learn how the school uses energy and discusses ways for the school to use energy more efficiently and environmentally friendly.