Schoolgen

RAGLAN AREA SCHOOL IS A SCHOOLGEN SCHOOL

Schoolgen is a programme developed by Genesis Energy (one of New Zealand's largest energy companies) to bring solar energy to life for children across New Zealand. Why? Because young people are our future leaders and decision makers, and it's important that they understand the role renewable energy will play in their future.

By talking and interacting with them we have a real chance to cultivate environmentally- aware thinking and behaviour; not just theirs, but that of the people around them - their teachers, parents, parent's colleagues, friends... the whole community!

Programme Benefits:

* Raising the awareness and knowledge of students about renewable energy, in particular solar energy, electricity generation, energyefficiency and climate change;

* Raising community, parent and staff awareness ofsolar energy;

* Contributing to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions;

* Contributing to energy savings for the schools that have had solar panels installed;

* Students and parents will be able to enthusiastically promote alternative energy forms across their local communities because they've experienced how it works;

* The programme has been designed so that the teacher resources are easily accessible and free to use by any school in New Zealand - schools do not need solar panels to engage in the programme

In 2009 Raglan Area School made a successful application to become a Schoolgen school. A Schoolgen school (there are 42 schools in the North Island) is one that has a 2 kilowatt (kW) PV (photovoltaic) system, at no cost to the school. The PV system allows the school to generate a portion of their electricity from the sun, and to teach their students about solar energy, climate change and electricity generation. Gaining these solar panels from Genesis Energy makes us very proud and excited about the learning opportunities that come with it. The resources meet the challenge for a broad platform of education across the whole school. We also see it as a visual way to display our environmental consciousness to the rest of the community. Importantly it models alternatives to our students and community at a time of intense debate around renewable/sustainable energy sources, especially wind farming.

Our panels can be seen on the north facing roof of the science/art/technology block. To see our school on the schoolgen website, go to...

http://www.schoolgen.co.nz/ss/schools/raglan.aspx