
students
A half-dozen students on Henry Clay's green team came back to school for the announcement of a new biodiesel lab. Chemistry teacher Tim Bailie (right) will take the lead as the program gathers momentum this fall.
A half-dozen students on Henry Clay's green team came back to school for the announcement of a new biodiesel lab. Chemistry teacher Tim Bailie will take the lead as the program gathers momentum this fall.
Students at Henry Clay High School this fall will learn how to convert waste vegetable oil from their cafeteria into biodiesel fuel, thanks to a partnership with Earth Day Network.
Earth Day Network, which is based in Washington, D.C., recently offered $15,000 worth of equipment and supplies for a biodiesel production lab in Fayette County Public Schools, where students have been instrumental in the Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council. Tresine Logsdon, the district’s energy and sustainability curriculum coordinator, suggested Henry Clay as an ideal candidate. (Henry Clay is a “model” in Kentucky Green & Healthy Schools, which is the program’s highest designation.)
“We are ready to move forward with this project and make another positive impact on our school’s carbon footprint. Over the last few years, we have made strides to becoming more sustainable. With this partnership, once again we are taking a step in the right direction,” said Ken Clark, who teaches AP Environmental Science and Advanced Physics.
Chemistry teacher Tim Bailie drives a Volkswagen Rabbit that runs on biodiesel and has wanted to integrate these concepts in his classroom. The new lab – which will have the capacity to produce 40 gallons of fuel per week – will become fully operational through his Chemistry in the Community course, which provides a more hands-on approach to real-world applications than a traditional class.
Students will harvest used vegetable oil – a necessary building block of biodiesel – from the school’s cafeteria, reducing the volume of Henry Clay’s kitchen waste and the cost of removal. Initially, the final product will supply clean fuel for several diesel engine-driving teachers; eventually, the goal is to broaden the fuel’s usage throughout the community.
“The students who are learning and experimenting now with these tools represent the next wave of American innovators and entrepreneurs, and we are proud to support the teachers and communities helping to make this change possible,” said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network.
Earth Day Network’s initiatives in schools are funded by the UPS Foundation. For more information, contact education director Sean Miller at (202) 518-0044.