ComEd representatives were so impressed with the work of the Alan B. Shepard High School team that they invited the team to present their work at the quarterly meeting for account manager.

 The Community Partnership Initiative team at Alan B. Shepard High School assisted teachers in arranging a field trip to a nearby construction site to view the inside of houses as they were being built. The students had the chance to learn about walls, insulation and "R" values.

 ComEd representatives were so impressed with the work of the Alan B. Shepard High School team that they invited the team to present their work at the quarterly meeting for account managers.

 After completing the energy audit of their school, the Auburn High School EnergyNet team used their skills to audit the local library.

 At Carl Sandburg Junior High School in Rolling Meadows, the EnergyNet team asked an energy analyst and an electrical engineer from the community to work with them on their energy audit of the school building.

 Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park invited a representative from Midwest Lighting to their classroom to demonstrate a variety of lighting samples and other considerations related to reduced energy use in lighting.

 The EnergyNet team at Central Community High School in Breese set up a partnership with the Business and Education Alliance, a group of twenty business and industry leaders.

 The Cowden Herrick High School EnergyNet team invited a speaker from Shelbyville Co-Op to talk to them about electricity. The EnergyNet team also presented information on their energy audit at a Regional Teacher's Institute in Decatur.

 Students at East Peoria High School organized a local news conference to talk about their EnergyNet project, their findings and energy savings.

 At Einstein Elementary School in Chicago, students received some onsite training from contractors who were in the midst of work on the school building. The EnergyNet team members also had a chance to tour the boiler room with school maintenance personnel.

Microsoft Founder Bill Gates stopped by Einstein Elementary School in 1997 to check out how the students are using the Internet.

Among other programs, EnergyNet students showed off their work. As a result, letters were sent home to parents explaining EnergyNet.

 Evergreen Park High School students shared their EnergyNet activities with the community by publishing articles in the local and school newspapers. They also worked with a local plastics company to obtain light switch covers which said "When not in use- Turn off the juice."

 The EnergyNet team at Gallatin County High School decided the best way to start their project was with a tour of the school building. The maintenance person showed students the gas heating system and provided blueprints of lighting, electrical and building envelope systems. The team also invited a speaker from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to discuss pollution problems and clean-up procedures.

 At Hartsburg-Emden High School, two businesses came into the classroom to help with the EnergyNet project. A representative from Cilco, a power company, provided help with "R" values. TriAg, an agricultural business, sent someone to talk about energy and agriculture.

 Hononegah High School interacted with two of the local power companies: Wisconsin Power and Light and Commonwealth Edison. EnergyNet students also took a field trip to the Byron Nuclear Generating Station where they were given a tour of the control room simulator, video and oral presentations on how the plant operates and a demonstration of radioactive materials.

 Joliet West High School was in the midst of renovations to lighting fixtures when their EnergyNet team started the project. So, they contacted a local distributor from Englewood Electrical Supply to get information which allowed them to compare the new electrical lighting to the old electrical lighting.

 One school board member from Mater Dei Catholic High School was so impressed with the EnergyNet team's work that he persuaded the school board at St. Rose Elementary School, where his younger children go to school, to invite the EnergyNet team to conduct an energy audit there.

The EnergyNet Communications Team at Mater Dei High School invites members of the community to join them on walk through audits of public buildings; offer to conduct mini audits of local businesses; produce a bi-weekly project newsletter called The Aardvark, which they deliver electronically into fellow students' mailboxes; send quarterly reports to the local newspapers and send updates twice a year to the school's alumni newsletter. Readership of the student newsletter, at least, is guaranteed-because their teacher quizzes students on its contents.

 The Nokomis High School EnergyNet team gave a presentation to the Nokomis Rotary Club in preparation for their presentation to the Board of Education. As a result, a news story on their project appeared in the local paper.

The students also took a material list of what was needed for energy improvements to various people and businesses in the community. Community leaders agreed to volunteer time and money to the project.

 Team members at Pittsfield High School invited two men from the community to help them. John Hayden of CIPS, a utility company, provided them with two meters. Kent Wasson provided students with information on the newest and most energy efficient lighting fixtures.

 Alternative energy research became hands-on and ear plugs-in for 120 students from Proviso West High School in Hillside when they toured the cogeneration facility at the University of Illinois Chicago campus. The three story structure houses two giant-and very noisy-16-cylinder engines which transform waste heat into enough electricity to power half the school's campus.

 At Sandwich High School, six EnergyNet teams did research which included interviewing the school janitor and taking a rooftop tour to inspect their school's heating and cooling systems. A local architect taught students how to read blueprints.

 The school maintenance engineer at Spring Wood Middle School in Hanover Park took the eighth grade EnergyNet team on a tour of the building. The EnergyNet teacher said the maintenance engineer enjoyed sharing his knowledge with the students and the students found a new respect for his work.

The Spring Wood EnergyNet team also invited several business people to help with their project: Jim Walker from ComEd, Randy Block from LH Block Electric, and Dr. Pat Armstrong, Owner of the Prairie Sun Consultants. Dr. Armstrong helped them with the environmental component such as tree placement and appropriate plants to use that will help with energy savings and at the same time are native to the area.

 The EnergyNet team at St. Charles High School went to city hall to interview officials about energy use.

 Students at Streamwood High School in Streamwood took their knowledge from an energy audit of their school and applied it at a local retirement home. A dozen EnergyNet students showed up on the first Saturday of their Spring Break to complete an energy audit of the Lexington Nursing Home to find ways to reduce their energy costs.

 The EnergyNet teams at Waterloo Middle School gathered information about their subject area by going outside of their classrooms.

• The Economics and Policy Team met with a financial investor with expertise in energy related stock investments.
• The Electricity Team worked with individuals from the local Rural Electric Association.
• The Communications Team met with a local newspaper editor.

The Waterloo EnergyNet team branched out to add a new team member, Jack Latchem, the school district's Director of Maintenance. He agreed to assist the team in creating a video of the process required by their maintenance staff to change burned-out lights.