For 27 years Basin Electric Power Cooperative has been teaching children in their nine-state service area about electrical safety through an engaging presentation called “The Story Behind the Switch”.

Tracy Fugere of Basin Electric demonstrating a Van de Graaf Generator to students. Photo Courtesty Tracy Fugere of Basin Electric.
For the past two years, Tracy Fugere of Basin Electric has taken “The Story Behind the Switch” to students in a different school every week of the school year. So far, the presentation has been delivered to more than 300,000 4th, 5th and 6th grade students in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.
Basin Electric’s Message to Students
The hour long presentation, “The Story Behind The Switch”, teaches children the basics about electricity. Children learn the differences between natural electricity and man-made electricity, in addition to the different ways used to produce electricity.
The electrical safety portion of the presentation teaches children how to react to potentially dangerous situations involving electricity. Some of the topics covered include:
- awareness of underground powerlines,
- kite flying near electrical lines, and
- what to do if a power line is lying on the ground.
Tracy also performs several demonstrations during the presentation, as illustrated in the photo above where Tracy is seen sharing a Van de Graaf generator with students. Other devices demonstrated in the presentation include hand generators, plasma balls, tesla coils and more.
About Tracy Fugere
Tracy Fugere graduated with a degree in Mass Communications and Speech Communications from NDSU, but has always dreamed of being a teacher. Tracy was delighted when Basin Electric offered her the opportunity to take the presentation “The Story Behind the Switch” to students in schools throughout Basin Electric’s service area. She documents her travels on her blog, Tracy on the Road.
Teachers interested in having Tracy Fugere come to their schools to present “The Story Behind the Switch” to their students should contact their local rural electric cooperative and request that she visit their service territory. The program is offered free of charge for Basin Electric member systems.
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