Profile of a Patriot

Through the Lugar Energy Patriot, Senator Lugar profiles a student, professional, scholar, or member of the business community who has demonstrated leadership and initiative in taking concrete action to improve America's energy security. In addition to the profile posted here, individuals will receive a certificate designating them Lugar Energy Patriots, and a letter of congratulations.

DeKalb County Central United School District
DeKalb County, Indiana

It is a proud moment when students feel the passion to share their work with their family. Administrators, faculty and staff at DeKalb County Central United School District have discovered an effective means to energize students.

Beginning in 2004, the school district embarked on an energy conservation program to reduce energy bills. Hundreds of thousands of dollars later, the program has grown from students, faculty and staff conserving energy in their schools to their homes and other areas throughout DeKalb County. 

With 4,500 Hoosier stewards of alternative energy and saving more than 3.1 million dollars in energy costs over the past four years, representatives from DeKalb County Central United School District recently spoke with Senator Lugar’s office. We discussed their energy conservation efforts and how the changes made throughout the district is affecting the greater DeKalb County community. 

Q:  Why save energy?

A:  “We must be stewards both financially and environmentally,” said Ken Fowble, DeKalb County Central United School Superintendent. “If we can save money that would have gone towards utility bills and use that for programs and staffing for the kids it becomes a huge win-win situation. With the help of Ed Benbow, our Energy Manager and best known as Energy Ed, we are able to keep this program strong.”

A:  “I believe in each person’s civic and personal responsibility to the community and environment they live in and this project definitely promotes that feeling,” said Andrea Sowle, Senior at DeKalb High School.

A:  “There is a health factor in all of this,” said Mike Ellinger, Principal of McKinney-Harrison Elementary School. “When our air is cleaner, so are our bodies.”

Q:  What are students, faculty and staff doing to save energy?

A:  “I try to be more aware of how much energy I use daily,” said Cindy Hamm, middle school teacher at DeKalb Middle School. “If this program has taught our school community anything, it is that every little bit helps and no savings is too small. Everyone can contribute to building a greener community and world.”

A:  “I believe in the Big T’s of Energy Ed:  Turn it off, Turn it down and Tune it up,” said Jed Freels, 8th grade science teacher at DeKalb County Central United Schools. “Each light switch, furnace and other equipment that is turned off, turned down, and tuned up uses less energy and we appreciate that.”

Q:  What obstacles did you face when you first began?

A:  “It’s change—which few are fond of,” said Ed Benbow, Energy Manager for DeKalb County Central United School District. “Convincing people on staff that they can truly make a difference and giving them the confidence and commitment of the administration really helped boost morale.” 

A:  “It seemed harder at first, but now we are able to catch problems with equipment early which saves money in the end,” said Mary Deetz, Head Custodian at DeKalb High School.  “Our staff is now recognizing when the air feels different and suggesting that filters be changed rather than waiting until the specific times each year when they would normally be switched out.”

Q:  How have students reacted?

A:  “Students are so keen on this idea of energy conservation,” said Hamm. “I have students who now remind me ‘Mrs. Hamm, if you are done with that overhead you should probably turn it off.’” 

A:  “Kids are just in tune to doing the right thing,” said Freels. “We hope that it continues to be a way of life for them.”

A:  “It is a cultural issue … seeing all the effort being put into conserving energy at my school made me proud that my school was on board,” said Sowle. “Seeing the money that has been saved by our school really made this entire effort hit home, literally. My sister and I started turning off lights and recycling at home—things we would not have done without learning it at school.”

Q:  What advice do you have for other schools?

A:  “The results of this effort have been tremendous,” said Jay Kern, President of DeKalb County Central United School Board. “We expected to save money but saving $3.1 million is astounding. Our efforts are equal to 523,373 tree seedlings grown for 10 years or 3,687 automobiles not driven for one year.”

A:  “Saving energy does not cost millions and millions of dollars at the start,” said Fowble.  “It truly doesn’t take money, only knowledge. It starts with one person at a time doing what they can to conserve energy in their own life.”

Senator Lugar agrees. That is why we congratulate DeKalb County Central United School District on being a Lugar Energy Patriot.