Consumers Energy Powers Energy Education for Students with New EmPOWERed Kids Smartphone App

News provided by

Sep 04, 2014, 06:00 ET

JACKSON, Mich., Sept. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy is providing Michigan students and their parents with a new, engaging way to learn how energy is generated and travels to their home with a new smartphone app and classroom program called EmPOWERed Kids.

"We want to provide kids with a fun, interactive experience when it comes to learning about energy," said Mary Palkovich, Consumers Energy's vice president of energy delivery. "EmPOWERed Kids will serve as the backbone for the hundreds of classroom presentations our education team will make this school year, and students can take these lessons home."

The EmPOWERed Kids app is free and available for all smartphone devices and iPads. It guides elementary school students and their parents through ideas that touch on their everyday lives, and it includes games and exercises to keep them connected.

Kids can learn about such concepts as:

How electricity is made from coal, wind, water and even cow manure.
How to recognize danger signs involving electricity and natural gas. tel
What natural gas smells like and what to do to stay safe.

Consumers Energy teams up with schools throughout Michigan each school year to deliver important lessons about electricity and natural gas, renewable energy and safety.

Last year, education teams visited hundreds of elementary school classrooms, reaching thousands of students. Consumers Energy also produces Powered Up, a quarterly educational newsletter.

"We're excited to connect to students in new ways every day, and we hope parents and teachers will use EmPOWERed Kids to help Michigan's next generation learn while having fun," Palkovich said.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.5 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

More for parents

DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP: Go to the App Store on your smartphone or iPad and search for "Empowered Kids."

'ENERGY EXPERT' PATCH: Consumers Energy offers an "Energy Expert" patch for Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/kids/Scouts.aspx?id=657

LEARN MORE: Consumers Energy offers educational resources for teachers, parents and students: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/students

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ConsumersEnergy.

SOURCE Consumers Energy