EnergySmart Education
Proudly sponsored by NV Energy and Southwest Gas, EnergySmart Education hosts numerous outreach programs to K-12 schools throughout Nevada to teach and promote energy consumption awareness and energy conservation.
EnergySmart Education Community Energy Ambassador Project
The Community Energy Ambassador Project is an opportunity for 9th-12th grade Nevada students to utilize their talents to become local energy conservation stewards! The goal of the project is to engage high school students to think about and share messages of energy conservation and efficiency with their local community.
How to become an Energy Ambassador:
- Assemble a team which consists of an adult mentor and youth ambassadors.
- Work together to create a locally relevant energy conservation project.
- Meet with DRI Faculty to discuss and iterate project.
- Share your project with your local community and enter to win a prize and statewide recognition!
Click here and complete the interest form for more information on the 2025-2026 school year project!
Theater Troupe
The EnergySmart Education Virtual Theatre Program is back early March! This musical theater presentation is available for 2nd-3rd grade classrooms in Nevada in areas serviced by Southwest Gas. Students will sing along with Lazy Lou the energy waster and a group of energy scientists as they learn about easy energy and water conservation techniques. Prepare to have energy songs stuck in your head all day! Limited performances are available.
Click here and complete the interest form to join the spring 2026 performances!
EnergySmart Education Home Kits
Calling ALL 4th Grade Teachers in northern and rural Nevada counties! – A FREE EnergySmart Home Kit is available to you!
This interactive energy activity reinforces energy conservation and water efficiency concepts from 4th grade Next Generation Science Standards. The program provides an engaging presentation from our own “Dr. Megawatt”, empowering students to be leaders in energy efficient behaviors in their daily lives.
Click here and complete the interest form to join the fall 2025 program!
For questions about this program, contact Trevor Harder at trevor.harder@dri.edu.
This program is made possible by the generous support of Southwest Gas Corporation.
EnergySmart Education Middle School PSA Contest
Calling all middle school educators and organizations that serve middle school-aged students! Are your students ready for their chance to shine with their performance of a lifetime? The EnergySmart Education program will be hosting a PSA Video Contest in the fall of 2025. Teams of 1-4 students are encouraged to create a short (under 2 minutes) video about the importance of saving energy here in Nevada and sharing ways the community can help save energy. You can check out our previous winners here.
Click here and complete the interest form to join the fall 2025 competition!
EnergySmart Green Boxes
Curriculum and Resources
The Green Box program offers several energy efficiency and conservation focused curriculum boxes for use by Nevada educators. Available for a range of grades, each box helps students uncover how humans produce energy and learn strategies to reduce energy and water consumption in their daily lives. Interested in using an EnergySmart green box in your classroom? Visit our Green Box page.
Each Green Box is a self-contained teaching kit that provides educators with a unit of lesson plans along with all of the necessary supplies.