Clare McCarty, a science teacher at St. Joseph Central Catholic High School in Huntington, recently attended the CSI: Climate Status Investigations Institute at the Keystone Center in Keystone, Colo. McCarty participated in the session Oct. 5-9 through a grant from Appalachian Power, a unit of American Electric Power.
 
Climate Status Investigations is a national teacher-training institute designed to equip middle-level and high school educators with the process, skills and confidence to introduce the topic of global climate change in a non-biased manner.  The institute involved 58 educators from across North America sponsored by 16 corporations and foundations.
 
The program utilizes interdisciplinary curricula developed in concert with the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Energy Technology Laboratory to enable students to investigate possible causes, effects and potential mitigation techniques for global climate change. Through stakeholder analysis, students come to understand a variety of viewpoints, identify economic and social impacts, and ultimately evaluate possible options for addressing climate change.
 
Participants received the climate status curriculum plus instructional and lab materials required to implement the curriculum beginning as early as this fall.
 
“I could build an entire course around the material presented at the Institute,” McCarty said. “I’ll use much of it in my environmental science class.” 
 
McCarty was chosen from a select field of applicants across AEP’s 11-state service territory.
 
“The teachers that come to the training bring a cadre of experiences and issues relevant to their communities,” said Ellen Reid, senior associate at The Keystone Center. She said teachers will use the Keystone Center’s Framework, which meets National Education Standards in a variety of disciplines, to develop classroom plans related to global climate issues.
 
“Appalachian Power is pleased to provide McCarty a professional development opportunity that will enhance the hands-on science experience for students in St. Joseph Central Catholic High School,” said Jeri Matheney, Appalachian Power spokeswoman.
 
McCarty has also attended two American Electric Power teacher workshops: Experimental Design in 2000 and The Wilds in 2001.
 
The Keystone Center is a nonprofit organization founded in 1975 to ensure that present and future generations approach environmental and scientific dilemmas and disagreements creatively and proactively. The center’s mission is to equip citizens with deliberative frameworks, democratic processes, analytical information and critical-thinking skills to navigate tough problems and develop solutions. For more information, visit www.keystone.org.
 
Appalachian Power provides electricity to 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, with more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.