The da Vinci Academy at Newport Harbor High School today received a grant of Solar Hydrogen Renewable Energy Demonstration (SHRED) kits from Eco Soul, a California nonprofit organization that is dedicated to furthering the utilization of Solar Hydrogen Technology through educational outreach.
Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity without creating pollution. Pure water is the only byproduct.
"The kids are really excited about being the first on the block to work with these fuel cells. They are also interested to know how technology can help the environment," said Scott Dukes, the science teacher who heads the da Vinci Academy. "There just is no substitute for hands-on experimentation when it comes to learning science."
The da Vinci Academy students will also be among the first to learn from a new Department of Energy-sponsored curriculum centering on the benefits of hydrogen-based energy systems due out in the coming weeks. Mary-Rose Valladares, a DOE consultant and developer of the Hydrogen Outreach Programming for Education (HOPE) Curricula for secondary school students, believes Eco Soulâs SHRED kits are a perfect complement to her program.
"Eco Soulâs demonstration kit is the most elegant example of the opposite (and sometimes reversible) relationship between the fuel cell and electrolysis processes that Iâve seen in this country," said Valladares, principal of M.R.S. Enterprises.
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Secondary school teachers interested in participating in the DOE-sponsored curriculum pilot program this spring should contact Valladares in Bethesda, Maryland at (301) 530-6591 or email: mrsenter@erols.com.
Eco Soul is a California 501[c]3 non-profit corporation dedicated to furthering education and research in environmentally-friendly hydrogen fuel cell technology. The organization distributes the country's first reversible fuel cell demonstration kit for wide-spread practical use.
