April 16, 2026

Evansville Water & Light strengthens next generation through education grant

Member Utilities

Since its inception six years ago, the Evansville High School Green Team has been asking how to make the district, its community and the entire world better. The team got a bit of a boost in that aim through Evansville Water & Light’s offering of an Energized Education grant.

The grant, funded through WPPI Energy, made it possible for the team to attend the 2025 Youth Climate Conference.

“The Evansville High School Green Team that I advise is so proud of the work they’ve been able to do to make their school, their community and even their world a better place, in part, because of the energized Education Grant we secured from WPPI Energy,” said Scott Anderson, teacher and team adviser at Evansville High School.

Senior Adalyn Elwood was one of the team members who attended the conference. Different schools convene together, with students sharing environmental work happening in their communities.

“Presenting at the conference felt really rewarding because it gave us the chance to show off everything our school has accomplished and to explain the work we’ve done to improve sustainability,” Elwood said. “It was exciting to know that other schools could learn from our ideas while we learned from theirs.”

The funds have helped Green Team members continue their work. Anderson said students can see the impact their efforts have on the school and now have the resources to share them outside of the district.

“Since 2022, they have seen an annual energy reduction in the high school building because of their work,” Anderson said. “These students are observing, in real numbers, that their actions to reduce electricity use truly matter. They were able to present this information at the 2025 Youth Climate Conference, where WPPI’s funding really made our booth a showcase.”

Junior Phillip Schuppner shared his excitement about receiving the grant.

“It felt incredibly rewarding, like all the hard work, planning and persistence finally paid off,” Schuppner said. “It also brings a strong sense of pride and motivation, knowing your ideas were valued and that you now have the chance to turn them into a real impact for your school.”

Anderson credited the utility for making the team aware of the grant, referring to Energy Services Manager Darren Jacobson as “so helpful” in providing more information and an explanation of how to apply for the funding.

“WPPI Energy and Evansville Power & Light have been incredible partners in helping our students turn ideas into real energy-saving solutions,” Anderson said. “Because of their support, the EHS Green Team isn’t just learning about sustainability—we’re actively reducing energy use and making a measurable impact on carbon reduction in our school.”

Junior Frank Dillie described seeing other students respond positively to the team’s efforts to save energy and make the school more environmentally friendly as fun with friends that helps “our school become a better place.”

“They are happy and supportive of the team’s efforts, often celebrating the positive impact these student-led projects have on the school and community,” Dillie said.

Not only has the team received the Energized Education grant, but also recently secured another education grant from the utility. School and Utility Partnerships for Energy Reduction, or SUPER, grants provide funding to help increase energy efficiency in school buildings. The team plans to replace all classroom lighting with LEDs.

“We are so excited about our next project using our SUPER Grant,” Anderson said. “Our partnership with Evansville Power & Light and WPPI just keeps bearing fruit.”