The Departments of Environmental Protection, Education, Conservation and Natural Resources and Keystone College, Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force, Penn State University and Lancaster County Career & Technology Center will hold a series of four Introductory Alternative Energy workshops for educators in June.

The dates include:

· June 3 -- Willary Water Resource Center, Keystone College, Lackawanna Hall, La Plume (in partnership with DCNR, Lackawanna State Park and Keystone College);

· June 11 -- Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle, Erie (in partnership with the Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force);

· June 20 -- Applied Research Laboratory (ARL), Eric Walker Conference Room, Penn State University, University Park (in partnership with Penn State’s ARL and the Center for Sustainability); and

· June 24 -- Lancaster County Career & Technology Center, 432 Old Market St., Mt. Joy (in partnership with the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center)

The workshops, which are available to educators at no cost, will be held from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. (lunch and refreshments included). Teachers will be eligible for 7.0 Act 48 credit hours.

Workshop participants will learn about and explore alternative energy technologies through presentations, hands-on activities and a field trip to see alternative energy technology in action.

This workshop is geared for upper elementary, middle and high school teachers and non-formal educators and is based upon Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology and Science and Technology.

Educators will receive background information and standards-based curricular materials, including PDE’s “ Energy Thinking and Conserving for the Future.”

“This workshop is designed to help educators address state mandated academic standards for environment/ecology and science/technology, while focusing on an important and pressing environmental issue,” said DEP Director of Environmental Education Jack Farster.

To register for the other workshops, educators should contact Ann Devine, in DEP’s Environmental Education and Information Center, at 717-772-1644 or send e-mail to: adevine@state.pa.us by May 20.

To register for the June 3 workshop at Keystone College, contact Angela Lambert, DCNR, by calling 570-945-7110 or send email to: anlambert@state.pa.us .

Space is limited, so registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

5/9/2008