Smart Energy Education Advisory Council (SEEAC)

Smart Energy Education Advisory Council (SEEAC)

Overview

BGE has a longstanding history of creating and supporting education initiatives in Maryland, including STEM learning, workforce development and child safety programs. BGE’s Smart Energy Education Advisory Council (SEEAC) offers key education stakeholders the opportunity to ensure BGE’s programs and initiatives are connecting with the community and meeting its needs. The viewpoints represented by Council members come directly from the parents, children and communities they serve—and they help BGE continue to evolve its education initiatives.

The Council is a volunteer-based group with two-year terms that meets twice a year, and is facilitated by BGE’s Marketing team and other leaders within the company. Council members have the opportunity to impact the education initiatives and programs BGE champions. Through their involvment involvement on the Council, members will be able to network and build connections with other education stakeholders and influencers across the state.

For questions about BGE’s Smart Energy Education Advisory Council Advisory Council, email:
Keisha.Clarke-English@bge.com

  • Bright Ideas Teachers’ Grants

    The Bright Ideas Teachers’ Grants program provides Kindergarten – twelfth grade teachers throughout BGE’s service area with the opportunity to submit project proposals to receive up to $500 in funding. The grants help to expand local educators’ innovative ideas for academic enhancement and workforce development in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

    Last year, teachers submitted their proposals from September 15 to October 31. BGE then recognized Giving Tuesday by awarding $25,000 to the 55 recipients of the inaugural grant program.

  • Digital Classroom 2.0

    In October 2017, BGE partnered with Anne Arundel County Public Schools, and sponsored a robot that allows students - who can’t attend class due to illness or injury - attend class virtually while they recover. The robot, operated from a home computer, uses video conferencing technology to allow a student to travel through the hallways, sit at the lunch table with friends, participate in group assignments and ask questions to teachers in real time. The $4,000 sponsorship provided one robot that is currently assisting a student at Fort Meade High School.

  • Education Programs: BGE Wires Down Video Challenge / The Adventures of Captain Mercaptan, a BGE Natural Gas Safety Hero Challenge

    At BGE, maintaining a safe and reliable electric and natural gas system and educating our customers about living and working safely around electric wires and natural gas is our first priority. BGE offers two safety contests each year that are open to public and private elementary schools in BGE’s electric service area.

    The BGE Wires Down Video Challenge is an annual contest offered every spring and is open to all public and private elementary schools in BGE’s electric service area. As part of the contest, schools are asked to create their own version of BGE’s iconic “Wires Down” TV Commercial for the chance to win up to $10,000 for a school enrichment project. Overall, the BGE Wires Down Video Challenge has awarded $174,000 in school funding to 44 schools since the contest launched in 2012.

    The Adventures of Captain Mercaptan®, BGE’s Natural Gas Safety Hero Challenge, is an annual contest that challenges student to submit a three-panel comic strip illustrating a natural gas safety message featuring Captain Mercaptan, BGE’s fictional natural gas safety superhero. Captain Mercaptan takes his name from “mercaptan,” the safety additive BGE and gas utilities put in natural gas to give it a rotten egg odor, allowing easier detection. Each year the contest awards up to a total of $35,000 to eligible schools at various grade levels. Overall, The Adventures of Captain Mercaptan®, BGE’s Natural Gas Safety Hero Challenge, has awarded $140,000 in school funding.

  • BGE Smart Energy Workforce Development Program

    BGE seeks to recruit and hire a workforce that reflects the community we serve, specifically for the residents in the Baltimore area. The Smart Energy Workforce Development program is a joint effort with local workforce development agencies and vocational schools to increase awareness of job opportunities with utilities and the types of skills necessary for energy careers. The program focuses on developing a well-qualified diverse talent pipeline, particularly in entry-level positions. To do so, BGE helped governmental and nonprofit workforce organizations and vocational schools prepare individuals for the Construction and Skilled Trade (CAST) test, a utility industry standard that is a first step on the path to a career in energy.

    The Smart Energy Workforce Development program also includes a partnership with four Baltimore City Schools. In 2017, BGE hired 25 high school students for internship positions. In addition, three Merganthaler Vocational Technical High School from our internship program became BGE employees.

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