The Ohio Energy Project (OEP) and AEP have collaborated to place Energy Bikes in more than 60 Ohio school districts through Power Partners since creating the program in 1997 in cooperation with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's Ohio Environmental Education Fund.

The Energy Bike is a human-powered bicycle equipped with a zero air pollution (ZAP) generator. The generator delivers electricity to a display board containing a variety of electrical devices. It allows students to power incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs, a radio, tape player, fan, hair dryer, and other small appliances by pedaling the bike. Students actually feel and observe their energy being transformed into light, heat and sound energy.

The Energy Bike is an effective and exciting learning tool because it engages visual, kinesthetic, auditory, and verbal learners to enhance energy learning.

The Ohio Proficiency Test has increased the need to implement unique teaching methods to engage all learning styles. OEP's review of the sample test indicated that 20 percent of the ninth-grade proficiency science portion was energy related. The Power Partners Program was developed to meet the need for more effective energy education materials.

From 1997 through 2001, the Power Partners program provided teachers with a fun and challenging workshop during which participants gained knowledge, enthusiasm and hands-on energy education activities including an Energy Bike package valued at more than $4,500 for their school district.

Power Partners workshop participants constructed and learned to operate and maintain an Energy Bike. Participants also received hands-on science experiments and more than 20 interactive activities pertaining to energy sources, forms, and conservation.

Following the workshop, the participants agreed: to conduct an Energy Week for students utilizing the materials obtained at the workshop; to lead a professional development program for peer teachers on the use of the Energy Bike; and to become their district's Energy Bike "librarian," establishing a method for teachers to borrow the bike and providing technical support for teachers.

Some 20 percent of the ninth-grade Ohio science proficiency outcomes pertain specifically to energy transformations, sources and forms. The Energy Bike meets each of these outcomes, as well as others that focus on scientific methods, measures, and procedures. The Energy Bike is a highly regarded education tool for science, math and other interdisciplinary uses. Energy Bike activities meet up to 65 percent of Ohio proficiency science outcomes and up to 32 percent of math outcomes at fourth, sixth, ninth and 12th grades.

Energy - BTUs, amps, photosynthesis, electrical safety, energy transformations, incandescent lighting, resistance, watts, electrical transmission, capacitors, horsepower, motors, joules, volts, generators, circuits, fuses, fluorescent lighting, energy efficiency.

Science process skills - measuring, calculating, estimating, meter reading, forming hypotheses, gathering data, predictions, recording, experimenting.

AEP and OEP are focused on ensuring that Energy Bikes placed through the Power Partners program are in good repair and teachers in participating school districts are fully trained to use the bikes to improve energy education. For more information, see the OEP Energy Bike Program web site.

For more on the Ohio Energy Project, visit the OEP Web site

Congratulations on a job well done by past Power Partner teachers. We are proud of their creativity and enthusiasm for energy education. Listed below are the more than 60 Ohio school districts that have received an Energy Bike through the Power Partners Program since 1997.

Adena Local Schools, Ross County
Arcadia Local Schools, Hancock County
Athens City Schools, Athens County
Barberton City Schools, Summit County
Bexley City Schools, Franklin County
Brown Local Schools, Carroll County
Buckeye Valley Local Schools, Delaware County
Catholic Diocese of Columbus, Franklin County
Collins Career Center, Lawrence County
Columbus Public Schools, Franklin County
Coshocton City Schools, Coshocton County
Delphos City Schools, Allen County
Eastland Career Center, Franklin County
Edison Local Schools, Jefferson County
Fort Frye Local Schools, Washington County
Fremont City Schools, Sandusky County
Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools, Franklin County
Galion City Schools, Crawford County
Gallia County Schools, Gallia County
Gallia-Jackson-Vinton JVS
Greenfield Exempted Schools, Highland County
Groveport Madison Local Schools, Franklin County
Guernsey-Monroe-Noble County Educational Service Center
Hamilton Local Schools, Franklin County
Heath City Schools, Licking County
Highland County Educational Service Center
Hilliard City Schools, Franklin County
Hillsboro City Schools, Highland County
Indian Valley Local Schools, Tuscarawas County
Jefferson Local Schools, Madison County
Licking County Educational Service Center
Lima City Schools, Allen County
Lincolnview Local Schools, Van Wert County
Logan-Hocking Local Schools, Hocking County
Maranatha Christian Schools, Franklin County
Milford Exempted Village Schools, Clermont County
New Lexington City Schools, Perry County
Newark City Schools, Licking County
Newcomerstown Exempted Schools, Tuscarawas County
Northern Local Schools, Perry County
Northridge Local Schools, Licking County
Olentangy Local Schools, Delaware County
Paint Valley Local Schools, Ross County
Pickerington Local Schools, Fairfield County
Piqua City Schools, Miami County
Plain Local Schools, Stark County
Putnam County Educational Service Center
Ridgewood Local Schools, Coshocton County
St. Thomas Aquinas School, Summit County
Shawnee Local Schools, Allen County
South Point Local Schools, Lawrence County
Southeast Christian Academy, Franklin County
South-Western City Schools, Franklin County
Switzerland of Ohio Local Schools, Monroe County
Toronto City Schools, Jefferson County
Tri-Valley Local Schools, Muskingum County
Union Local Schools, Belmont County
Union Scioto Local Schools, Ross County
Upper Arlington City Schools, Franklin County
Vanlue Local Schools, Hancock County
Westerville City Schools, Franklin County
Wheelersburg Local Schools, Scioto County
Worthington Christian Schools, Franklin County
Worthington City Schools, Franklin County
Wooster City Schools, Wayne County
Youngstown City Schools, Mahoning County