Seven Persons teachers get creative with energy education

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Ryan Dahlman

Inside Education

Over $100,000 was granted to 20 schools across Alberta last week to help teachers get creative with energy education in their classrooms for the upcoming 2025/26 school year. 

The A+ for Energy grant program awards K–12 teachers with grants of up to $5,000 to fund project-based learning initiatives to get students inspired and excited about energy education. 

Seven Persons School was awarded the grant maximum of $5,000 to support their project Forging Change: Powering Change through Student Action, which aims to highlight a diverse array of age-appropriate, curriculum-connected projects that focus on two critical global challenges: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting energy efficiency and conservation. 

“At its core, Forging Change demonstrates how students, regardless of age or grade level, can engage meaningfully with real-world environmental issues through inquiry-based learning, design thinking, and collaborative problem-solving,” Seven Persons Lead Teacher Kristine Vizza explained in the school’s A+ for Energy application. “Each project reflects not only the scientific and technical understanding appropriate to the student’s developmental stage, but also creativity, critical thinking, and a sense of social responsibility in rural Southern Alberta.” 

Delivered by Inside Education with funding from BP Canada, Pembina Pipeline, TC Energy, Enbridge and Cenovus Energy, the A+ for Energy program was created in 2007 to financially support hundreds of K–12 teachers to bring their energy education ideas to life with fun, experiential learning opportunities. Now in its 19th year, the program has provided nearly $5 million in funding to support energy education in schools.

“We received a number of applications from schools all across the province that showcased the creativity, innovation, and passion on display in Alberta K-12 classrooms,” says Kathryn Wagner, Executive Director of Inside Education. “Teachers are always looking for new ways to bring energy education to life in their classrooms through hands-on, experiential learning, and we are proud to provide multiple avenues of support through the A+ for Energy program to make this happen.” 

Over 3,000 K–12 students in 14 communities across Alberta (and one in Newfoundland) will begin working on their A+ for Energy projects in September.