Energy Education Transforms HACS Students into Energy Ambassadors

Trane’s BTU Crew curriculum launches award-winning energy awareness and data analytics education and teaching journey for high school students.

Quick Facts

Industry: K-12

Unless there’s a storm that cuts off power, most people take energy for granted. “We just flip the switch, and we expect the lights to come on; we don’t think about where it comes from,” said Trane Educator-in-Residence, Dan Whisler. “With the rise of data centers and the demand for energy growing, it’s more important now than ever to understand how we generate electricity and how the resources most available can vary in different parts of the country.”

Dan works with schools to educate K-12 students about energy and data analytics as part of the Trane BTU Crew, a STEM education program that transforms school buildings into learning labs where energy can be studied in a hands-on, highly relevant way. Having a connection to the data is a key piece of student engagement and really brings this program to life in the classroom. It’s no longer a case study in a textbook, it’s their data. This real-world application is a critical piece of what students are learning through this program.

As part of its commitment to improving the learning environment in schools, Trane offers the BTU Crew program to districts in conjunction with school building infrastructure projects. Alongside science teacher, Talisha Sorenson, Dan has been working with a group of high school freshmen at Hanny Arram Center for Success (HACS), part of Kearney Public Schools located in Kearney, Nebraska.

Together, Talisha and Dan have guided HACS students on an energy awareness journey, helping them grow into confident educators and energy-conscious advocates through hands-on learning.

Learning About Energy

When HACS Principal Jason Owens heard about the opportunity to incorporate the BTU Crew program, he invited Dan to Talisha’s summer school class to present an energy education unit.

When students quickly embraced the learning, Talisha asked Dan to continue during the school year, adding Dan and the BTU Crew to her fall science class.

Applying Knowledge at KidWind STEM Competition

Enjoying the BTU Crew’s project-based approach during the fall, Talisha, Dan and the students decided to participate in KidWind after winter break. This hands-on STEM competition challenges students in grades 4–12 to apply science, engineering and problem-solving skills through the design and testing of wind turbines. In February, the adults and four students traveled to the nearest KidWind Challenge regional competition in Colby, Kansas.

Once there, students put their learning into practice, earning the Most Improved Award in recognition of their teamwork in improving energy output from the morning to afternoon rounds of testing in the wind tunnel. The award honors teams that show the greatest measurable progress in turbine performance from the morning to afternoon rounds.

Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association Conference Outreach

Still requesting more opportunities, the students undertook a different kind of data analytics effort at the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association Conference (NRCSA) in March.

There, they educated conference attendees about energy awareness through interactive science demonstrations and hands-on learning experiences.

“The best way to learn something is to teach it to somebody else,” said Dan, who taught high school science for more than three decades. “These students gained this opportunity in multiple ways, and it was especially thrilling to see them share what they had learned with conference attendees.”

At the conference, students also collaborated with Trane to collect data from attendees about U.S. and Nebraska energy use, leveraging the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project’s “Electric Connections” game. Survey participants were asked to rank various energy sources used to generate electricity in the United States and then compare their perceptions with real-world statistics.

Sharing and Recognition

The student-led data analytics project helped the students earn state and national recognition:

HACS was named by NEED as the Nebraska Junior Level School of the Year and a Finalist for National Junior Level School of the Year
HACS students and staff were invited to attend the 46^th Annual NEED Youth Energy Conference and Awards in Washington, D.C. in June.

Kearney BTU Crew Team receives Recognition

Kearney Public Schools Board of Education Presentation

Next, in April, Talisha, HACS Principal, Jason Owens, and one of the students presented their energy awareness and education journey to Kearney’s Board of Education. Board members were impressed. “We are delighted to hear about the meaningful, hands-on learning and advocacy work these students are doing,” said Superintendent Jason Mundorf, Ed.D. “It’s exciting to see them recognized for their outstanding work by KidWind and NEED.”

Based on this presentation, district leaders are considering expanding the BTU Crew to additional HACS classrooms and district schools.

National Recognition

In June, the students were recognized as the Nebraska Junior Level School of the Year and as a Finalist for National Junior Level School of the Year at the NEED Project’s National Youth Energy Conference & Awards. The Washington, D.C., conference recognizes outstanding student leadership, innovation, and achievement in energy education from across the nation—and beyond.

At the conference, the HACS students also connected with peers and broadened their understanding of energy awareness and data analytics.

It has all been a whirlwind of activity for the students. “The first day of the first fall class, the students were pretty reserved,” said Talisha. “As we gradually introduced energy-related experiences through our dynamic collaboration with Dan Whisler and Trane, we saw a remarkable increase in curiosity and student interest, shifting how the students approach learning and inspiring them to explore energy education with fresh perspectives,” she said. “It’s been exciting to see!”

“Our students embraced these projects and the opportunity to explore the importance of energy awareness—ultimately becoming true energy awareness educators and ambassadors,” said Jason Owens. “We applaud their willingness to think beyond the classroom, and we proudly celebrate their accomplishments on the local and national stage.”