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Hernando Today

Local Teen Receives State Energy Prize

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By LINNEA BROWN

Published: May 24, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - When Nature Coast Technical High School senior Sarah Kidder, 17, walked into the media center at her school Friday and saw her mom with a video camera, she didn't think much of it.

Since it was the last day of school, Sarah thought it was one of those embarrassing "mom" things — an only-my-mom-would-want-to-document-this deal.

Even as her science teacher, Stephen Zafer, pulled her up in front of class and started yapping about the project she'd completed earlier in the year, she still didn't realize what was happening — until the flashbulbs started popping and strangers pulled out an oversized $1,000 check.

Only then did she start shaking.

On her very last day of school, Sarah learned she was the state's winner of a statewide sustainability competition: the Igniting Creative Energy competition, which drew thousands of entrants across the state.

Sponsored by Johnson Controls, Philips and the National Energy Foundation, the contest aimed to encourage students across the nation to develop ingenious ways to conserve energy and protect the environment.

Named the Tree of Knowledge, Sarah's winning project was a sturdy, realistic-looking "energy tree" made of wire, foam bark, spray paint and faux leaves. Written on the back of each colorful "leaf" were environmental facts, problems and solutions to current environmental issues.

She originally created it as part of the Youth Energy Summit, an annual student-driven symposium in Orlando that her chemistry class traveled to in December. There, the project received so many compliments that she decided to enter it in the state ICE competition.

During a surprise ceremony Friday, officials traveled to the Brooksville school to present Sarah with a $1,000 check for her school and an MP3 player.

They also complimented her accompanying essay, which described the "seeds" of knowledge she hoped to post in viewers' minds.

"If you'd only sent pictures of the tree, your essays would have put you in next round," said Deborah Brown, an account representative for Johnson Controls.

As the state's winner, Sarah's project automatically was entered in the national round. While it ultimately didn't win, NEF program coordinator Kelly Van Dusen described the "buzz" surrounding her project at the national level.

"It was very impressive," she said. "Just a 'wow,' that makes you look because you don't know what it is. Everyone kept saying, 'It's the tree, it's the tree!'"

Standing nearly five feet high, the tree cost nearly $300 to mail. However, Sarah, her mother and teacher decided it was worth a shot to try, Sarah said.

But she never expected to be named the winner — especially not in a surprise ceremony in front of her peers, she said.

"I didn't see it coming at all," she said. "I really thought my mom was just here to (tape) my last day of school."

Her project is now on display at the NEF headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"Sarah's probably been wondering what happened to it," joked Zafer.

The school's principal, Tizzy Schoelles, said the school is also buying Sarah a state championship class ring for the win.

"Sarah's such a great kid," she said. "She's so shy and quiet, but so creative. We're going to miss her, but I know she'll go on to do great things."

Sarah will attend the University of South Florida in Tampa in the fall, with hopes of becoming a veterinarian.

For more information about the competition, go to www.ignitingcreativeenergy.org.

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached on 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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