Six elementary schools have won a total of $23,000 as part of the Department of Education-Hawaiian Electric Home Energy Challenge. In August 2010, the Home Energy Challenge began by compiling the cumulative average daily home electrical usage of participating elementary school students from October 2009 through March 2010. This information was gathered from their home utility bills and provided the baseline for the Home Energy Challenge. Students then spent the next six months learning the importance of energy conservation from their teachers, with energy literacy education materials and specific tips the students could apply at home to reduce electrical usage. So that schools of all sizes could compete levelly, the winning school was the school whose students' home energy use decreased by the largest percentage. Participating schools were offered educational materials and hands-on displays, drawing contests, guest speakers, fun conservation workbooks, and a video featuring simple, low- cost ways their families could save energy at home.

Pearl Ridge Elementary School students and their families won the $10,000 grand prize by reducing their home energy use by over 6.4% as part of the Home Energy Challenge. Kamiloiki Elementary came in second place, winning $6,000, and the $3,000 third prize went to Manana Elementary. Other schools participating in the Home Energy Challenge included Hahaione, Kahaluu, Kahuku, Maunawili, Mililani Mauka, Palisades, Pearl City Highlands, Pohakea, Sunset Beach, and Waikiki elementary schools.

"Statewide, over 1,300 families from 13 schools enrolled in the Home Energy Challenge, conserving over 106,000 kilowatt hours and saving over $26,000 on their home electricity bills during the six-month period," said Kaiulani de Silva, Hawaiian Electric director of Education and Consumer Affairs. "And that only reflects part of the story. All the classrooms at participating schools were given access to educational materials and benefited from school wide conservation activities and projects. Including all the students at 13 schools, over 5,300 of our keiki learned about energy conservation and shared energy-saving tips with entire families. We hope the awareness will grow exponentially."

Kahaluu, Kamiloiki, Mililani Mauka, and Pearl City Highlands Elementary Schools were the winners of the Energy Conservation Project category of the Home Energy Challenge, which encouraged students to come up with creative ideas designed to teach the entire school and their families, faculty, and community to use energy wisely. Each school won $1000.

"Conservation in the Country" was the name of the Kahaluu Elementary student's project. Students used their Extended Learning Opportunity iMovie class to create energy-saving videos, including one about Super Energy Man who fights off two evil energy wasters. The Kahaluu students also held a conservation-themed poster contest.

Through their "Ohana Energy Conservation Project" Kamiloiki Elementary used creative contests and games to teach students a new energy saving tip each month. With a CFL Costume Contest, an Energy Pledge, a no-TV week, and an Energy Conservation jingle/poetry contest, students of all ages had fun and learned the importance of energy conservation.

The Mililani Mauka Elementary Student Council created five video infomercials with a "Watt's Down" theme to encourage their classmates and families to try one simple energy saving tip per month. The videos were placed on the school's website for parents and children to view at home and at school.

"Snapshots of Savings" encouraged Pearl City Highland students and their families to send in pictures of their energy saving activities, which were used in their school newsletter and posted on their website. Many of the families participated in Turn off the TV Tuesdays, and played board games rather than watching television or playing on the computer.

Applications for the 2011-12 Home Energy Challenge and Energy Conservation Project will be sent to all O'ahu public elementary schools this summer. Interested schools can call Sam Nichols at 543-7511 for more information.