ARCHBALD -- Marcellus Shale sits more than 5,000 feet below Valley View High School in Archbald, but on ground level, junior students had a chance to pick some up and learn about what it does in natural gas production.
They also learned about electricity and water use and about how it's wasted. That lesson really resonated with some students like Kylee Bushta.
"Many interesting things about how energy is transported here, and the way we can renew and not waste it," Bushta said.
The students learned from eight different speakers at the Junior Achievement program about energy. The presenters were from the big wigs in the energy world. Teachers hope the lessons about the natural gas industry would stick with some students in particular.
"I am definitely interested in it more than I have been. It`s an interesting subject to learn about because it`s right in our backyard, a different form of energy. And to learn about it is an interesting subject and I like to hear about it," said student Scot Wasilchak.
The Junior Achievement program was aimed to peak interest before Valley View launches a class about careers in energy next fall. The high school will be the first in the state to offer a class about natural gas production.
"It`s exciting, and there`s a lot of pressure. But, we have a lot of really great people from the industry who are working with us and our students are really good too so we`re excited about it," said Valley View science teacher Rachel Michos.
"What Valley View is doing we certainly applaud because they`re bringing an opportunity to their students to show all of the various opportunities that are out there. Not just one field, or not just one educational track," added John Augustine from The Marcellus Shale Coalition.
If the class, offered this fall, is successful the curriculum could be offered to high schools across the state.
As our world changes, the classroom does too.
