Byron Generating Station hosted 16 area middle school teachers Feb. 20 for 
an Energizing Student Potential workshop in the plant's training building. The NEED Project facilitated the daylong session, which instructed the teachers on a host of science topics including the different types of electricity generation stations and about the power grid.
The event is intended to give the teachers knowledge they can transfer to their students through different types of instructional sessions as well as hands-on activities. Exelon pays for the event, for kits the teachers can bring to school, and also reimburses the schools for substitutes needed to replace teachers for the day.
Oregon Elementary's teacher Aaron Mendoza said, "We had a plant employee
visit my class last year to talk about the plant, so this is a good follow-up," he said. "When the opportunity presented itself to attend this event I definitely wanted to participate. We're doing an energy unit in school right now, so this is all really applicable."
Teachers in attendance represented Byron Middle School, Oregon Elementary, Monroe Center School, and Rockford schools including Barbour Elementary, Gregory Elementary and Thurgood Marshall Elementary.
Byron Station Communications Manager Paul Dempsey sat in on the session 
and answered questions about the nuclear facility. "The teachers had a lot of knowledge about our facility and it was great to answer the questions they had about what we do at our facility," Dempsey said. "These types of workshops are important to help continue STEM education for area students."
