We believe energy and water resource education is important. We provide grant funds to local schools, offer tours and presentations and support educational activities in our community.
Energy and water use is an important issue now and for future generations. Check out our curated collection of free activities and lessons, designed to promote discussions on energy and water efficiency and to encourage students to practice smart energy and water decision making.
Learn moreAs a part of our commitment to education, we provide about $500,000 in grant funds to the four school districts in our service area in support of water and energy curriculum and activities.
Each year thousands of students in the following school districts benefit from programs funded through our education grants.
Hands-on learning makes a difference. We currently offer the following for students who live or go to school in our service area:
Hayden Bridge Water Filtration Plant Tour: Learn how water from the McKenzie River is filtered and purified before being delivered to home and businesses throughout the community. The tour takes about an hour, not including travel time and is best suited for middle and high school students. The minimum number on a tour is ten people. To keep everyone safe during classroom tours we require a one to four adult-to-student ratio.
Leaburg Dam Tour: Students are fascinated to learn how we make electricity from falling water. This tour is a favorite field trip for many local schools. Many classrooms combine the trip with a visit to the Leaburg Fish Hatchery next door and stay for a picnic lunch in Lloyd Knox Park. The tour takes 60 - 90 minutes and is perfect for elementary and middle school classes. Leaburg Dam is about 20 miles east of Springfield, so allow plenty of travel time.
Request tourEvery fall wild Chinook salmon reach EWEB's Carmen-Smith spawning channel after a long journey from the ocean. A few hundred middle school students get the opportunity to witness the homecoming firsthand as a part of the Salmon Watch program.
During the field trip students rotate through four stations: fish biology, aquatic macroinvertebrates, water quality and riparian ecology. We are proud to support Salmon Stewards of Lane County and the McKenzie Watershed Council in bringing this educational opportunity to our community.
Read moreMiddle school students challenge their math and science skills as they design and build photovolatic powered cars. Each year hundreds of students spend a Saturday in early June seeing if their creation has what it takes to win first place.
The KidWind Challenge is a recent addition to our education program. Students explore the power of wind by building and testing their own turbines. After participating in a local challenge, the winning team is invited to demonstrate their wind power knowledge and test their turbine in a wind tunnel at regional and national competitions.
We love celebrating public power and we love reading. In the first week of October we combine the two with our Power Readers program. EWEB staff visit kindergarten classrooms to read a book about electricity and talk to kids about indoor and outdoor power safety.
We also invite fifth grade students in the area to participate in an annual poster contest celebrating public power.
Congratulations to the 2017 winning artists:
First: Elizabeth Johnston from O'Hara Catholic School
Second: Giani Alvez from Buena Vista Elementary
Third: Eli Brown from O'Hara Catholic School
Fourth: Ryan Pitts from Bertha Holt Elementary
Fifth (tie): Aria Virde from Meadow View School
Fifth (tie): Jael McKinnis from River Road Elementary
Giving back to the community is a part of what we do every day. We want to make the greater Eugene area an even better place to live.
See what's happening and join us for an upcoming event. From home shows to the annual Run to Stay Warm, we are out and about quite often.
Find articles on the latest in energy efficiency and water conservatoin, read updates on EWEB projects and initiatives, and more.
4200 Roosevelt Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97402
800-841-5871
541-685-7000
Open Monday-Friday
Phone hours: 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
