To help nurture the next generation of thinkers and doers, Pacific Power is making investments that will lead to stronger communities today and better opportunities for everyone tomorrow.
These investments begin with our consistent support of science, technology, engineering, arts and math education – STEAM – programs. Through our company initiatives, foundation grants and college scholarships, we partnered with over 420 nonprofit organizations and donated $820,000 across our service area in 2020.
Alongside these organizations, we’re determined to empower the next generation by creating and promoting hands-on, inclusive learning opportunities for children, teens and young adults. These curious minds will become our scientists, engineers and technicians who will help as we innovate clean energy and clean transportation solutions, our partners who’ll help us forge the grid of the future and the leaders who’ll help guide the growth of our communities.
Here are a handful of the programs we proudly support:
Connecting kids to hands-on learning
At the Pendleton Library, students can “check out” STEAM-themed activities as easily as checking out a book. With support from the Pacific Power Foundation, the library has added a series of gadgets, including drones, a programmable rover and Sphero mini robots, to its popular “Library of Things” section. The new STEAM offerings connect local youth and young adults to materials that spark interest in more technical fields while bolstering learning at school (especially in math) and inspiring future careers.
Students envision the future of electric transportation
Pacific Power partnered with the Construct Foundation for the Future of Oregon Transportation challenge. The 189 participating sixth-to-eighth graders from Bend, Dallas and other communities researched problems, interviewed experts and users and applied design-thinking principles to craft and prototype real-world electric mobility solutions that may someday transform their community’s transportation future.
Setting learners up for success
With help from the Pacific Power Foundation, SiskiyouWorks organizes “Be an Engineer!” summer camps in Northern California that inspire grade school students to think about STEM careers. SiskiyouWorks teams up with community organizations in Siskiyou, Trinity and Modoc counties to host the camps where students design storm systems, build bridge models and help solve other real-world problems through hands-on experiments.
Sailing towards a bright future
What happens when fifth- to seventh-grade learners of varying backgrounds and skill levels are given a unique, hands-on opportunity to put their STEAM lessons into real-world practice while building a sense of teamwork, perseverance and responsibility? Discover the Columbia River Maritime Museum’s Miniboat Program and find out.
While delivering safe, affordable and reliable power to our communities is still our top priority, we always keep looking forward. From volunteer hours to financial contributions, Pacific Power is honored to support these efforts to keep future generations prepared to be the innovators, thinkers and doers that will be the backbone of the workforce of tomorrow.
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