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NJ A T T R F N F R G Y L <br />RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES <br />.�19& <br />Board Memorandum <br />P U B L I C U T I L I T I E S <br />BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: OCTOBER 22, 2018 <br />ITEM NO: 9 <br />SUBJECT: RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES SCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAM UPDATE AND <br />NEW, ANNUAL ENGINEERING ESSAY CONTEST WITH CASH AWARDS TOTALING <br />$1,200 <br />ISSUES: <br />Receive and file update on the Riverside Public Utilities' School Education Program, and approve a new, <br />annual engineering essay contest with cash awards totaling $1,200. <br />RECOMMENDATIONS: <br />That the Board of Public Utilities: <br />1. Receive and file update on the Riverside Public Utilities' School Education Program; and <br />2. Approve creation of a new, annual engineering essay contest with cash awards totaling $1,200. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />California Assembly Bill 1890 (1996) requires publicly owned utilities to design and implement programs <br />promoting energy efficiency and conservation to benefit ratepayers. In addition to the many rebate and <br />conservation programs and services developed at that time, Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) chose to use <br />this opportunity to make an investment in Riverside's students, creating the RPU School Education <br />Program. <br />Funded through the Public Benefits Charge, an education coordinator was hired in 2001 to develop a <br />fourth-grade level class on electricity, safety and energy conservation. This standards-based science class <br />was offered free of charge to fourth-grade classrooms in the RPU service area. In 2004, a water <br />conservation class was added to the program. Designed to teach science concepts related to water and <br />conservation, the class is offered to fifth -grade classrooms in the RPU service area. The water education <br />program is funded through the Water Conservation Surcharge. <br />In 2011, RPU updated the water and electric class content and aligned the curriculum with the California <br />Next Generation Science Standards to keep current with trends in science education and increase the <br />emphasis on environmental literacy. To extend the lesson, RPU staff provide science loan kits which are <br />left behind after the classroom presentations. Additionally, age-appropriate and content -specific trade <br />books are curated for donation to school libraries, following classroom visits, to further supplement <br />instruction. The objectives of the program continue to focus on water and energy conservation, as well as <br />the promotion of RPU as a unique community asset. <br />Page 62 <br />