Ionia, GR, Saginaw, Vandercook Lake Win Consumers Energy Video Awards
JACKSON -- High school students in Ionia, Grand Rapids, Saginaw and Jackson-Vandercook Lake have demonstrated their green spirit by winning awards in Consumers Energy's first Green Scenes video contest.
Contest award winners are: Grand Prize ($5,000) Ionia High School; First Place ($3,000) Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern; Second Place ($1,000) Saginaw Heritage High School; and Third Place ($500) Jackson-Vandercook Lake High School. The winning entries can be viewed at www.greenscenescontest.com.
Ionia High School won the grand prize for its video Why Go Green, which focused on wind energy.
"This was a project where students learned about the importance of wind turbines while having fun," said Michael Knapp, video technology instructor at Ionia High School. "That's a combination you always strive for as a teacher."
Knapp said the $5,000 would be used to purchase new high definition video cameras and upgrade computers.
"The kids are really excited about winning this award," Knapp said. "This was a great competition that really captured their imaginations."
"This program tapped into the amazing creativity and enthusiasm for renewable energy by high school students. We're pleased with the first-year response to this contest," said Thomas Shirilla, Green Generation program manager for Consumers Energy. The winning entries were based on a number of criteria, including creativity, strength of theme, video quality, and the number of votes received at the Green Scenes Contest website.
Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest renewable energy provider. Green Generation is the utility's voluntary program for homes and businesses served by the utility. Launched in 2005, the program relies on renewable energy produced in Michigan, including wind and landfill gas. The Green Generation program adds diversity to Consumers Energy's overall energy mix, reduces dependence on traditional energy sources, and helps to preserve our natural resources.
Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), provides natural gas and electricity to 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
For more information about Consumers Energy, visit www.consumersenergy.com.
