Keoneula Student’s Winning Pledge To Save Electricity In 2013

Keoneula Elementary School sixth-grader Shaina Mae Garma has vowed to turn off 'electric things' to save energy and money. Poster illustration provided by Hawaiian Electric Co.

Beyond the usual vows of fitness, neatness and all kinds of personal improvements that adults pledge this time of year, hundreds of Oahu children have resolved to make a small change that can affect all of us: Save electricity.

During Hawaiian Electric Co.’s yearlong Home Energy Challenge in the island’s public elementary schools, keiki learn a variety of ways to conserve energy and save on home electric bills. In a recent HECO contest to find the best new year’s resolutions, four winners emerged, including Shaina Mae Garma of Ewa Beach, responding to the statement, “I promise to conserve electricity at home by ….”

Here’s the Keoneula Elementary sixth-grader’s plan of action – complete with illustration: “I will turn off the electric things that I do not use and do not waste it because it costs a lot of money for electricity.”

Garma has won a free presentation for Ms. Matsuura’s classroom by Mad Science of Hawaii. And, according to contest rules, her parents must commit to helping their child lower the monthly electricity use in their home over a six-month period.

Keoneula Elementary also won a HECO award of $3,000 in last year’s Home Energy Challenge, and the school is in hot pursuit of bigger prizes. (Grand prizes of $10,000, $6,000 and $3,000 will go to the top three energy-saving schools in May.)