Grant gives Streamwood High energy to do research

For Greg Reiva, having his students make the grade isn't enough.

The Streamwood High School science teacher also aims to instill a commitment for making the world a greener place.

A $10,800 grant awarded last week by New York's Toshiba America Foundation will help set students on their course.

The grant will be applied to a project developed by Reiva called the Alternative Energy Project at Streamwood High.

Reiva said this is the third grant Toshiba has given the Elgin Area School District U-46 high school in five years.

"All of the grant money has been intended for learning about alternative energy sources," he said. This grant, however, "has the broadest application -- it can investigate all different energies."

Reiva, a 13-year Streamwood veteran, is a longtime energy conservation advocate. He was named 2005 Master Energy Teacher by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn.

As part of the project, students will investigate the technology and application of fuel cells, photovoltaic cells and wind turbines -- all potential alternative energy sources.

Teams of students will design experiments that test the efficiency of these various sources, and they will present their findings to community members, including business people and engineers.

"The other half of the proposal is to work on energy conservation initiatives in our own building," he said.

Students working on the project will be a combination of physics and physical science students, Reiva said.

"It'll be a cross-section of different abilities and perspectives," he said.