Fall 2025
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Students Save Energy and Spark Change Through “Renew Our Schools”
From our partners at KEEP (Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program)
Students in the MGE service area are making a big impact on energy conservation through Renew Our Schools, a hands-on, data-driven competition that empowers students to take charge of their school’s energy use.
As part of the six-week program, students complete School Energy Actions and conduct energy audits to uncover where electricity is being wasted. Real-time monitoring by an eGauge datalogger allows students to see the immediate effects of their actions, making energy conservation a tangible and measurable experience.
Two local schools already have risen to the challenge.
- Forest Edge Elementary School participated in both spring 2023 and fall 2024. Led by a team of sixth grade students known as Team Solar Watts, the school focused on reducing phantom energy—or standby energy—from devices that continue to use energy even when turned off. Students created educational signs and volunteered as energy monitors to ensure electronics were unplugged when not in use.
- Malcolm Shabazz High School joined the competition in fall 2024. Their team, Shabazz Environmentalism!, championed light-usage awareness and systemic change. Students reminded peers and staff to turn off lights and wrote advocacy letters to City and school district leaders, encouraging broader energy-saving policies.
Combined, the efforts of these schools saved 5,895 kilowatt-hours of electricity, the equivalent of powering a home for more than six months or charging more than 320,000 smartphones!
This fall, three additional schools (EAGLE School of Madison, Madison Country Day School and Shorewood Hills Elementary) will take part in the competition, continuing the region’s momentum in student-led sustainability.
How to Participate
Interested in bringing the Renew Our Schools program to your school? Contact Wendy Stelzer at wstelzer@uwsp.edu or visit the Renew Our Schools website.
About Renew Our Schools
The Renew Our Schools program in Wisconsin is made possible through a partnership between KEEP - Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program, FOCUS ON ENERGY® and Colorado-based nonprofit Resource Central. KEEP is funded in part with support from MGE.
