Despite temperatures that soared well beyond 90 degrees, 31 math and teachers from nine states ? including Maryland ? and Canada eagerly donned hard hats and protective clothing Tuesday afternoon for a tour of Baltimore Gas and Electric?s Concord Street substation.
Their purpose was to learn about employment opportunities that await students who excel in math and science.
The tour was part of the Electricity and Magnetism Academy at the Smithsonian Science Education Academy for Teachers.
Participants teach on different levels from elementary to high school and at least three of the six instructors from Maryland were from the Baltimore area. BGE?s support of the project included a $19,000 contribution to cover the costs of all six teachers? participation.
“Like many companies, BGE is concerned about its aging workforce and the prospect that many employees will retire within the next decade,” BGE spokesperson Darryl Stokes said. “As a result, there is an ever-growing need to prepare today?s students for becoming tomorrow?s engineers and scientists.”
During the tour the teachers learned how power is generated, transmitted and distributed. They also visited BGE?s headquarters at Center Plaza where they spoke with officials about the wealth of opportunities utility industries like BGE have to offer.
Orlando White, a science teacher at Randallstown High School in Baltimore County, was elated to be part of the group.
“I?m so excited about taking what I?m learning back to my classroom,” White said. “As teachers we?re always learning and this has been a great opportunity,”
Katya Enisoba, a physics teacher and science department chairwoman at Homeland Security Academy in Baltimore City, added that BGE has been one of the leading sources for science educators in the local public schools system.
She said she looked forward to sharing her newly acquired knowledge with other teachers at her school.
“I?m trying to put together a program for physics teachers in the city of Baltimore,” Enisoba said. “So my primary goal [with the tour] has been to get as much knowledge and information to share” with her peers.
