Tonganoxie USD 464 sent out a release about a "green initiative" involving sixth grade students called BTU Crew.
The project is being made possible through a partnership with Trane, a leading global provider of facility solutions.
The “green” curriculum program comes at an optimal time. The District has committed to modernize district facilities and implement sustainable, high performance learning environment improvements by utilizing the Kansas statutory fiscal tool K.S.A. 75-37,125 and Facility Conservation Improvement Program. The “Green” high performance school improvements, which will be implemented by Trane, are documented to improve indoor air quality and increase ventilation, raise classroom thermal comfort, improve lighting, increase security surveillance to enhance student safety, automate the bus routing to optimize effective and efficient student transportation, while upgrading and replacing aging, inefficient, and/or ineffective infrastructure that has reached the end of its useful life.
The goal of the BTU Crew in the District is three-fold. The basic premise of the curriculum is to teach middle school students about energy – what energy is, how to measure and conserve it, “green” collar careers, and ways that they can take action. Students even conduct their own “energy audit” using the same real-time software that Trane energy experts use in the field, and conclude the program by writing letters to State Legislators. In addition to general education, the BTU Crew hopes to encourage students to pursue STEM careers (science, technology, engineering and math) by introducing them to “green” careers and educating them on the career alternatives that are available to them at an early stage in their career development. Finally, the BTU Crew helps students and the community to understand exactly what the District’s commitment to energy efficiency means and how it directly affects them. Students will then be able to follow the project on an intimate level throughout its lifecycle.
Erin Rau, an Engineer with Trane, will be leading the sixth grade classes one day per week for six weeks. Classes will begin in Tonganoxie on April 9th.
For more information on the Trane BTU Crew, please contact Stephanie Leslie, sleslie@trane.com, (913) 599-4664.