Tiny, but mighty for education

<p>Southern Company hosted 150 fifth grade students from the East Lake Foundations’ Drew Charter School in the “SO Cool Zone” last Wednesday as part of Community Day at the TOUR Championship.</p>
<p>In Southern Company’s “SO Cool Zone”, students engaged in a 20-minute lesson on energy technology, learning more about the items used in the Energy Reimagined Tiny House – a tiny house that showcases various connected home products, smart energy appliances and a microgrid demonstration. Students interacted with the latest smart energy technologies available inside and outside the home, regardless of size.</p>
<p>Then the students explored electricity, magnetism, and their relationship with an all-electric BMW i8 – an innovative plug-in hybrid that uses eDrive technology to combine the efficiency of an all-electric motor and the power of a TwinPower Turbo engine. Activities include: creating a human “circuit” using an energy stick; demonstrating open and closed circuits; testing materials within the circuit to determine which materials serve as good insulators and which serve as good conductors.</p>
<p>After the fifth graders, seven eleventh grade students came to take a deeper look at the tiny house. These students are tasked with building an energy efficient tiny house this year as a school assignment.</p>
<p>“Southern Company is proud to support the East Lake Foundation and the local community,” said Chris Womack, Southern Company executive vice president and president of external affairs. “These students represent the future and it’s important to introduce them to energy technology concepts early on.”</p>
<p>The TOUR Championship Community Day event is comprised of a series of engaging activities for the youth of Atlanta, military personnel and golf fans of all ages.</p>