Academy of Green Technology

I spent this past summer in Brussels learning about the European Union with the Center for European Studies at Pittsburg and UNC Chapel Hill. I basically developed a lesson plan on Energy Security related to Ukraine and Europe. I have some improvements to make to the lesson but it was well received in class.

Check out 2023 graduate Josh Goins. He participated in the Blue Ridge Power apprentice class that is a part of the Academy pathway through high schoo. He then started with BRP after graduation. BRP wishes they had 10 more of him! Here is is participating in a photo op for a school to work program success. He is shaking hands with the NC Governer!

A few of our Part 107 Drone Pilots and a few with their TRUST license went to Holly Springs High School and showed students in their marine technology course how to fly drones. Some ran stations indoors with small Tellos, and the pilots worked outside letting the marine tech students fly Mavic Mini 3's. Holly Springs students enjoyed the experience and our students were able to develop important leadership skills.

Here are students using our new wave tank to create wave energy devices. The tank was made possible by a benefactor who saw the news piece about our program on A Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien.

I then was able to serve as a presenter with a colleague at the NCSTA State Professional development conference on teaching wave energy in the classroom. It was organized by Energy Literacy Fellows and led by John McCord from the Coastal Studies Institute.

A handful of students traveled for the second time this year to the Outerbanks, this time for the NC Kidwind Challenge. They competed in the underwater generator competition and did bring home a win in their division. Most importantly, they learned a great deal about the process of science and about energy generation. They are ready to go back next year with something bigger and better!

The ramifications of Covid have definitely been tough but the Academy came out swinging this year! Students have provided elementary and middle school workshops all year long. We have taught youth about climate solutions using solar cars, Tello drones, Mavic mini drones, wind turbines, our greenhouse, and we even went back and used our turtle presentation. In all, we saw more students this year than in any previous year, we estimate over 2,000.

Great Day for the Academy...and me. Saw a couple of fairly recent graduates, Luis and Jamie, and spoke to Shahadah Muhammad on the phone. Everyone is at school and doing well. Luis is doing electrical at FTCC, Jamie is at UNCP, and Shahadah is at NCA&T getting ready to start his studies in Civil Engineering. I am so proud of these young people! Fills your heart up!

We shall study the intriguing story of the Salton Sea this year and the role of the Colorado river!

First-ever water shortage declared on the Colorado River, triggering water cuts for some states in the West Low water in the river's largest reservoir, Lake Mead, is a bleak marker of the effects of climate change in the drought-stricken American West. The river is a critical water source for 40 million people in seven states.

Kind of neat!

An art of making global warming tangible Rising sea levels revealed in an illuminating work of art

Great day for AoGT! For the first time in a year and a half we were able to work together on a workshop! Just a few of us, just next door at the middle school, but had a totally good time with a handful of my students helping the middle school with drones.

Great workshop, and got to see the AoGT philosophy in action again! Jeff Epps and Stemerald City are an awesome enterprise! Jeff is doing such great STEM work for kids, and just generally doing great things for these kids. I had fun getting to interact with my students again.

Check this out! Former student (and once a part always a part of the AoGT family forever) Norman Urbanek is doing great things at NC State. He is a research assistant in The Forestey program and he is doing incredible work on air pollution and environmental justice! And if that isn’t incredible enough, he donated funds from the sale of his beats to Black Lives Matter causes! Way to go Norman! We are proud of you!

https://cnr.ncsu.edu/news/2021/03/forestry-student-overcomes-challenges-to-shine-as-research-assistant/

"I don't think, when students look back, they will remember the matching definition worksheet."

Not a chance in the Academy! We have long valued the unique and everyday experiences. We are living a great story! Watch for more of the great story in the near future. Planning a drone workshop for our middle school and preparing for our remote pilot's exam in the coming weeks. Also will begin to get the greenhouse in order, which was finally finished during Covid.