A field trip is always a treat for school kids.
But two fourth-graders at West Woods School in Hamden recently got a special surprise during their recent class outing to the Energize Connecticut Center in North Haven:
A visit from Dad.
UI line workers Harold Ewell and Hal Becker dropped by the facility on Dec. 8 to talk to the kids about their jobs, as well as the importance of electrical safety. Both have sons in the fourth-grade class at West Woods.
“He had no idea I was coming,” chuckled Ewell, imitating the wide-eyed look of surprise that his son, Jordan, made when he walked into the room.
After the initial shock, Jordan, along with Hal Becker’s son, Bode, settled down and joined the rest of the class to learn about electricity, natural gas, renewable energy sources, efficiency and related topics. The North Haven facility offers a wide variety of interactive displays and resources for kids and adults.
Ewell said a colleague had learned about the field trip and arranged for the line workers to join the class. “Jordan asked me a couple of months ago if I could come to the school and do a show-and-tell, and then this came up,” he said.
Nearby, fourth-graders gathered around Becker at a display showing the power lines, transformers and other equipment at the top of a typical utility pole. He showed off the hard hat, safety glasses, gloves and other equipment that keeps him safe at work.
“Sometimes we have to wear long rubber sleeves, just in case we bump into anything,” Becker said.
After the demo, Bode was quickly absorbed in an activity in which students fitted together electrical components to complete a working circuit. He said he likes working with electricity, but isn’t sold on it as a career path.
“I want to be in the NHL when I grow up,” he said. “If I can’t do that I want to be a lineman.”
The Energize Connecticut Center is an interactive, professionally staffed facility that combines displays, tours and a resource center to educate and empower the residents of Connecticut about energy. It’s jointly administered by UI and Eversource Energy and operated under a contract with the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC). Funding comes from the Energize Connecticut initiative, which is paid for by a line item on Connecticut utility bills.
It’s located at 122 Universal Drive North, North Haven, CT. Visiting the Center is free and school trips are eligible for a $250 bus reimbursement. For information, call 203-799-0460 or visit its website.
Top Photo: Harold Ewell and Jordan, left.
Middle Photo: Hal Becker talks about electrical safety.
Bottom Photo: Hal Becker and Bode.
Pipes and Poles 