More than 50 teachers from North Dakota and eastern Montana are attending the annual North Dakota Petroleum Council Teacher education Seminar at Bismarck State College.
The Council has been doing these seminars for more than 30 years. Council president Ron Ness said it’s a great way to get the facts about the energy industry to the schools – and talk to students about the opportunities in the industry.
"What we're trying to do is inspire them to have their students understand there's value in math and science and welding, and all of those things," Ness said. "There are opportunities here."
Justin LaBar has taught in Stanley for 9 years. He teaches 4th grade science. It’s his first seminar – and he said it’s a great opportunity to learn more about the oil and gas industry.
"And to be able to really teach the kids about what it's all about, and what is the truth about what's going on," LaBar said. "And I want to find out about some activities that we can bring back to my classroom to get the kids excited."
Carla Palczewski and Kent Ellis have a program where they bring demonstrations and activities about energy to schools.
"We have hands-on activities for oil and gas, as well as coal, electrical generation, wind energy," Palczewski said. "We need all forms of energy in North Dakota to make our state run."
Palczewski said the teachers at the seminar will get their own chance to do some of those hands-on activities.
"We have a drilling game," Palczewski said. "We do something called 'We're slippery, we're crude and we have gas.' We're making frac fluid, as well as making a geological core of all of the producing formations in North Dakota."
The seminar runs through Thursday.
