Community event showcases new mobile classroom dedicated to clean energy education
The Colorado State University Energy Institute officially unveiled their mobile classroom on Aug. 24, 2024, with title sponsors Platte River Power Authority (Platte River) and Efficiency Works during EnergyFest. Leadership from Platte River and CSU Energy Institute highlighted how the classroom will provide energy education in Northern Colorado and throughout the state during remarks that preceded an official ribbon cutting for the mobile classroom.
“It was very important to Platte River and Efficiency Works to partner with CSU and the Energy Institute on the mobile classroom because of its initiative to reach Title 1 schools that may not have the means to take trips to Fort Collins and experience this amazing facility focused on our clean energy future,” says Javier C. Camacho, director of public and external affairs for Platte River. “A clean energy future should be reliable, affordable and equitable, leaving no one behind. This includes educating our communities and engaging with our youth on what a clean energy future can look like for Northern Colorado.” 
The mobile classroom will be deployed to schools across the state of Colorado with a primary focus to visit Title 1 schools that may not have the resources to fund field trips to the Fort Collins-based Energy Institute. Its mission is to inspire and meaningfully engage the next generation with clean energy through authentic experiences that propel solution-seeking, hands-on learning. The mobile classroom includes:
- Curriculum-relevant, age-appropriate and customizable material that covers topics in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM)
- Expert content provided by CSU researchers at the forefront of hydrogen, wind and solar energy
- And more!
EnergyFest visitors toured the Energy Institute’s Powerhouse and engaged with a variety of vendors, including the CSU Drones Center, the CSU RAM Racing club, the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering and the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center.
“EnergyFest was the perfect opportunity for our community to see firsthand the innovative work being done at the CSU Energy Institute and to help celebrate Platte River and Efficiency Works as our title sponsors for our educational outreach efforts,” says Hilary Klein, associate director of engagement for the CSU Energy Institute. “We are excited to build our fall engagement schedule and further ignite interest in clean energy across our region.”
For more information about EnergyFest, visit energy.colostate.edu/events. For more information about the mobile classroom, visit energy.colostate.edu/k-12-outreach.