Teaching about Energy and Health

Sometimes it seems like the only thing growing faster than energy prices in U.S. is the nation's collective waistband. But a new project being spearheaded by Grand Valley State University simultaneously teaches young people about the importance of renewable energy and physical fitness and health.

Two Grand Valley entities -- the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center and the Movement Science department -- are working together on a project called Spinning Physical and Renewable Kinetic Living Energy, or SPARKLE for short. It combines bicycles fitted with generators and a little singing and dancing to get its message across.

The first step will be a performance Friday by around 40 Muskegon middle school students of a dance program choreographed by SPARKLE mastermind John Kilbourne and his wife Elizabeth. Kilbourne is a professor in the Movement Science department who revolutionized the use of dance techniques for NBA players, reducing their levels of injuries.

Starting in the fall of 2005, students from Muskegon and beyond will visit MAREC and tour the facility to learn about renewable energy. The culmination of the student tours will be watching a widescreen video of the May 13 performance. While watching the production, 10 students will be in the audience spinning electricity on bicycle generators that have been engineered by MAREC. In addition to producing electricity that will be used to power the video, the bicycle generators will be create light and recharge batteries.

The performance is Friday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Steele Middle School, 1150 Amity Ave. in Muskegon. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, please call (616) 331-8683.