Standing at the back of Anita Jenkins’ bustling grade four classroom in Ponoka, I watched as ten-year-old Liam carefully balanced a miniature wind turbine blade he’d crafted from recycled materials. “Miss Jenkins said we can test them outside today if the wind cooperates,” he explained, eyes bright with anticipation. His classmate Maya chimed in, “Mine’s going to generate the most electricity—I made it wider at the base like the ones we saw in that video.”
This hands-on renewable energy project at Ponoka Elementary School exists thanks to a $5,000 grant from Alberta’s Energize Education Initiative, which announced its latest round of funding last week. Across central Alberta, 17 schools in communities including Ponoka, Lacombe, and Red Deer received grants totaling over $80,000 to support innovative energy education programs.
The initiative, a partnership between Alberta Education and Energy Futures Alberta, aims to equip students with practical understanding of energy systems—from traditional oil and gas to emerging renewables—while building environmental literacy.
“These grants allow teachers to move beyond textbooks,” Jenkins told me during a brief break between lessons. “My students understand wind power because they’ve built turbines, measured output, and problem-solved through failures. That’s learning that sticks.”
In Lacombe, École J.S. McCormick School received $4,800 for their “Energy Explorers” program, which will take middle school students on field trips to various energy facilities throughout central Alberta.
“We want students to see the full spectrum of Alberta’s energy landscape,” explained principal Devon Williams. “They’ll visit everything from a natural gas processing facility to solar installations. It helps them understand the complexities and transitions happening in our province without ideology getting in the way.”
According to Alberta Education data, schools that implemented similar energy education programs saw a 27% increase in science engagement scores among students, with particularly strong gains among girls interested in STEM fields.
The grants arrive at a pivotal moment for Alberta’s energy sector. Statistics Canada reports the province now hosts over 3,100 renewable energy projects, while still producing nearly 80% of Canada’s conventional oil and natural gas. This dual reality creates both economic opportunities and community tensions that even young Albertans are navigating.
Back in Ponoka, I joined Jenkins’ class as they finally tested their wind turbines on the playground. The spring breeze was perfect—strong enough to spin their creations but gentle enough not to damage them. Students recorded data in weatherproof notebooks, calculating which designs generated the most power.
When I asked Maya what she’d learned from the project, her answer surprised me with its nuance: “Energy is complicated. My dad works in oil, and we need that, but we also need these,” she gestured toward her turbine. “The cool thing is we can be good at both.”
This perspective reflects what Energy Futures Alberta director Carlos Menendez describes as the program’s core philosophy. “We’re not training activists or industry defenders,” he told me via phone. “We’re developing energy-literate citizens who understand the science, economics and environmental factors that will shape Alberta’s future.”
The grant program requires schools to implement curriculum-aligned activities that explore multiple energy sources and their impacts. Projects must include hands-on components and community connections, with teachers reporting measurable outcomes after implementation.
In Red Deer, Gateway Christian School will use their $5,500 grant to create an energy conservation challenge where students audit classroom energy use and implement efficiency measures. The school estimates the project could reduce their electricity consumption by up to 15%, saving approximately $2,800 annually.
“Students become the experts and change-makers,” said Gateway science teacher Morgan Hillier. “They’re learning energy literacy skills that benefit both the environment and the school budget.”
Critics have questioned whether the program provides balanced education about fossil fuels and climate impacts. When I asked Alberta Education about this concern, spokesperson Rebecca Taylor emphasized that all funded projects must align with provincial curriculum standards that include climate science.
“These grants support factual, non-partisan energy education,” Taylor stated. “Students learn about the full spectrum of energy systems, including environmental considerations, technological innovations, and economic factors.”
For some rural Alberta communities where resource extraction remains a primary employer, these grants create space for nuanced conversations that might otherwise be difficult to navigate.
Wetaskiwin teacher James Harley, whose school received $4,200 for an energy systems lab, told me: “Many of my students have family in oil and gas. Others are passionate about climate action. This program lets us explore these topics through science rather than politics, which actually leads to more productive discussions.”
As I prepared to leave Ponoka Elementary, Jenkins’ students were analyzing their wind turbine results on a classroom chart. “Next week,” Jenkins announced, “we’ll learn how traditional power plants work, and then compare efficiency rates.”
The curious questions that followed—about converting energy types, transmission losses, and storage challenges—suggested these fourth-graders were developing sophisticated understanding of systems many adults struggle to comprehend.
For communities across central Alberta, these grants are seeding energy literacy that will shape the province’s future workforce and civic conversations. With Alberta’s energy landscape continuing to evolve, these young minds might just have the balanced perspective needed to navigate the complex transitions ahead.
