More than 100 elementary and secondary teachers switched roles in mid-June, as they became the students at an educational seminar conducted by the Lignite Energy Council. The seminar, held June 11 – 14 at the National Energy Center of Excellence on the Bismarck State College campus (ND), included educators from Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota.
The seminar, titled “2018 Lignite Education Seminar: Energy, Economics and Environment,” provided teachers with the information and educational materials they need to teach their students how lignite is mined and used to produce energy for homes, farms and businesses in the Upper Midwest. The seminar covered lignite’s economic impact on the region, as well as important environmental issues affecting the lignite industry.
Teachers from a four-state area toured lignite mines and power plants during the annual education seminar held in June.
As part of the seminar, the teachers toured the Center Mine, Milton R. Young Station, Falkirk Mine, Coal Creek Station, the Freedom Mine, Antelope Valley Station, and the Great Plains Synfuels Plant.
Teachers who attend the seminar and complete a lesson plan can choose from three North Dakota universities from which to receive two graduate professional development credits: University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University and Minot State University.
Over the years, the Lignite Energy Council’s Teacher Seminar has received two prestigious awards. It was the 2012 winner of the Interstate Mining Compact Commission’s mineral education award in the public outreach category. In 2007, the Lignite Energy Council’s Teacher Seminar was also recognized by the American Coal Council for “excellence in the advancement of energy education.”
Since 1986, more than 3,600 teachers have attended the Lignite Energy Council’s Teacher Education Seminar.