Harlan Kirgan
A Eunice High School woodworking class received lessons in saving energy and about life Friday morning.
Their classroom is a part of a pilot program to demonstrate how the St. Landry Parish School Board can save on energy costs.
Star Service Inc. has been talking to School Board members for about a year on energy-related ideas. Company representatives Greg Ortego, an engineer, and Jimmy Kaiser, executive vice president, were given approval for an air-conditioning project at Eunice, Northwest and Beau Chene high schools.
Friday’s event was to change the woodworking classroom’s fluorescent bulbs to LEDs.
Students in John McLemore’s class, Hayden Burnett, Tayte Langley, Drew Duplechain, Kole Grouvillia and Nick Richard swapped out the bulbs.
One long-term savings is the LED bulbs last about 56,000 hours compared to the fluorescent bulbs burning about 5,000 hours, Ortego said.
Kaiser noted that saves in maintenance costs over 10 years.
Throughout the bulb swap Ortego was monitoring the electrical usage. By the end of the changeover Ortego led the students through a calculation sheet to determine the LED savings, which totaled $108 a year for the 36 bulbs.
Ortego estimated there are about 3,600 fluorescent bulbs at Eunice School, which would add up to an annual savings of about $10,800.
The LED bulbs save about 53 percent in energy costs, he said.
And, he pointed out that doesn’t include factors such as the maintenance cost of changing fluorescent bulbs and a lower heat factor that reduces air-conditioning costs.
Energy savings weren’t the only lesson of the day. Ortego and Kaiser also talked about life skills.
“There is this window between now, the age you all are, in the next four to six years. It is a very important time in your life. What you do in the period will determine the way you live the rest of your life,” Kaiser said.
Ortego urged the students to work hard. “Whatever you do, don’t get frustrated,” he said.
“Working hard pays off,” he said.
“Sacrifice now,” he said. “Treat school like your job.”