Students Lead Real-World Change Through Renew Our Schools

By KEEP, Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program 
 
Students in MGE’s service area are stepping up as leaders in sustainability through Renew Our Schools, a six-week energy conservation competition offered to Wisconsin K-12 public and private schools in the fall and spring each year. It engages students by turning their school building into a hands-on energy learning environment.

How it works 

An eGauge datalogger is installed on a school’s electric meter, providing real-time energy use data through an online portal. With tools and support from KEEP and FOCUS ON ENERGY^®, students conduct a school energy audit. Using audit findings and datalogger insights, students set energy goals and develop an energy conservation policy aimed at reducing the school’s energy use, energy costs and carbon footprint. 

Results from the 2025-2026 school year 

In the last school year, three schools in MGE’s service area—EAGLE School of Madison, Shorewood Hills Elementary School and La Follette High School—participated in Renew Our Schools. EAGLE School of Madison and Shorewood Hills Elementary School were among the Fall 2025 competitors, placing first and second in their division. EAGLE School was awarded $1,500 to use toward future energy conservation efforts in their school.  

EAGLE School created two energy teams, the Watt Watchers and the Power Blasters. Both teams focused on eliminating phantom energy (standby power) loads and identifying areas of heat loss in their building. 

The Shorewood Hills Energy Sharks created energy education goals that included studying how their school building uses energy and sharing their findings with their classmates to help build a culture of conservation schoolwide.  

In the Spring 2026 competition, La Follette High School Green Club placed first in its division, earning $1,500 to utilize for future energy upgrades. 

With help from MGE to purchase an additional eGauge, La Follette students were able to monitor both the consumption of electricity and production of electricity from their rooftop solar array. Students analyzed how electricity use changed by hour, day and circumstance, including weekends, snow days and weather shifts. 

“I think most people fail to think about the consequences of really simple actions that they take throughout the day,” said La Follette educator Gage Meyer. “It's so difficult to perceive wasteful habits if we don't have data to show us the immediate results of effortless energy-saving practices.”