Driver Ed. Dept. uses ethanol-fueled car in class
 |
| Driver education students pose next to an E85 Chevy Impala along with
teachers Steve Scott, Mark Ribbens and Dave Woods and Raymond Chevrolet
representatives Mark Scarpelli and Kevin Schoudel. |
 The
Driver Education Department has teamed up with local car dealership Raymond Chevrolet to offer student drivers the chance to get behind the
wheel of an ethanol-powered vehicle as part of its semester-long course. Those
involved say, as far as they know, this is the first initiative of its
kind in the area.
The
2007 E85 Chevy Impala, a design by General Motors, was delivered to the
school over the weekend. Raymond Chevrolet owner Mark Scarpelli and Kevin
Schoudel, assistant service manager, presented the more energy
efficient and environmental friendly vehicle to students and
driver education staff on Aug. 31.
Steve
Scott, driver education teacher and science department leader, said he came up with the idea to
Live Green, Go Yellow campaign.
The
purpose of having the Impala on campus, Scott said, is to make students
aware of the need "for the next generation to deal with
alternative fuels." It also
provides students with the chance to weigh the advantages and
disadvantages of the cars on their own. One advantage is that the cars lower the
dependence on foreign oil. Also, ethanol gas is a renewable fuel.
Additionally,
the deal allows the school to provide interdisciplinary lessons to
students. Environmental
science teachers already have expressed interest in using the vehicle
during alternative energy
and conservation units.
E85
fuel (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) will be available in the area at select gas stations by
mid-September; until then, the Impala can run on regular gas. |
