NORTH AUGUSTA --- When the clock struck 1 p.m., Mossy Creek Elementary School went dark.
As dark as it could, given that the school was built with skylights and the emergency power could not be turned off.
For One Hour Without Power on Wednesday, teachers and staff voluntarily turned off anything that used electricity to conserve energy on Earth Day.
Third-grade teacher and student council adviser Alicia Bennett said she got the idea from www.earthhour.com, which has posted videos and slide shows of people in other cities and countries who turned off their power for one hour on March 28.
The student council was looking for something to do to recognize Earth Day, she said.
"The main point of what we were trying to do is promote conservation," Ms. Bennett said.
The teachers and staff all wore green in recognition of Earth Day and had encouraged the pupils to do the same. At 1 p.m., she made a schoolwide announcement to turn off all technology and lighting in the classrooms. She recommended that teachers take their pupils outside or open the windows.
"Please enjoy this hour with no power," she said.
Then she led the entire third grade out the front door to a playground, where she read them The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.
First-grade teacher Holly Vaughn chose to remain in her classroom.
Her pupils made puppets for an Earth Day play the students had written to perform in class today.
Other teachers, like Paige Satcher, took advantage of the opportunity to get out of the classroom for some hands-on instruction.
Her kindergarten class is learning about the needs of living creatures using three baby chicks Ms. Satcher brought them earlier this month.
The chicks got their first foray into the outdoors during One Hour Without Power.
"I thought this would be a good time to take (the chicks) out and let them get used to it," Ms. Satcher said.
After about 30 minutes, Ms. Satcher took the chicks back indoors and let the children finish the hour with an extra recess.
Kindergartner Maggie Sullivan, 6, said she liked the power-free hour.
"It was pretty cool," she said.
During the school year, Ms. Bennett and the student council recycle using the blue bags distributed by the city. They've also cut hallway lighting to half.
Their efforts were recognized this year by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling.
Reach Lisa Kaylor at (706) 828-3904 or lisa.kaylor@northaugustatoday.com.
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