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"The Edison Challenge offers students a chance to become engaged in environmental studies at a time when climate change, air and water quality, and waste reduction have never been more important issues for our societies."
Barbara J. Parsky
Senior Vice President Corporate Communications
Edison International
Environmental commitment is a core value for Edison International. Our environmental concern is represented by our renewable leadership and support of programs that promote environmental health and education, such as the Edison Challenge.
What is the Edison Challenge?
The Edison Challenge is an exciting educational program created by Edison International and the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies. The program offers middle and high school students in Southern California Edison service territory the opportunity to take a hands-on approach to improving K-12 science education, and provides teachers the opportunity to participate in professional development science workshops.
What does the program involve?
Student-teacher teams will be challenged to create projects focusing on an area of environmental science to compete for great prizes. Participating teachers are also invited to attend a series of science curriculum workshops for professional development.
Projects topics must be based on the theme of “Energy and the Environment” and should include one or more of the following environmental sciences:
- Energy transfer - How is energy transferred through wind, ocean currents, or water cycles?
- Energy conservation and energy efficiency - Why is this important, and what are some news ways we can conserve?
- Environmental protection and sustainability - What can we do to protect natural habitats and endangered species?
- What is global warming and what can we do about it?
- Renewable energy resources - What are the benefits of hydroelectric, natural gas, solar, wind, and nuclear energy?
- Air and water quality - What affects the quality of our air and water, and what are your ideas to improve this quality?
- Alternative transportation - What are the benefits of electric and biodiesel vehicles? What other alternative fuels are available?
Who is eligible?
Teachers and students from middle schools and high schools in Southern California Edison’s service territory are eligible for the program. The science workshops are open to all K-12 teachers from the eligible districts.
What are the prizes?
- 1st place win a full week trip to the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on beautiful Catalina Island filled with science, snorkeling and kayaking!
- 2nd place win a three day field study expedition to Edison’s Big Creek Hydroelectric facility in the natural and secluded setting within the Sierra Nevada Mountains!
- Teachers of the top five teams will receive a cash prize for classroom supplies or professional development.
- Teachers that participate in the science workshops will also receive a stipend for each workshop attended.
Important Program Dates
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| October 8-31, 2008 |
Open registration for student teams and teacher/advisors |
| February 27, 2009 |
Final projects due
(Must be delivered to the offices of the Wrigley Institute located on the USC campus by 5 p.m.) |
| March 11, 2009 |
Project judging |
| March 2009 |
Team interviews with judges at USC
(Only invited teams will attend the interviews) |
| March 2009 |
Recognition Event
Date/Location TBA |
| May 2009 |
Winning team trip to the Big Creek Hydroelectric Facility in the High Sierras |
| June 2009 |
Winning team trip to Catalina Island | |
Download the PDF flier
Middle Schools
High Schools
For more information, visit www.usc.edu/edisonchallenge. |
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Tools & Resources
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