Bakersfield students are charging up their brains to help save energy and the environment.

Students at Frank West Elementary school were putting their power, solar power that is into making renewable energy.

Jaquelyn Camarena, Student, "What is interesting about renewable energy is that it can help create a better future, it can help preserving other items and nature."

Fifth grade teacher Diane Hislop designed the project, "energy explorer" to help her students understand the concept of renewable energy.

The one thousand dollar grant funded this science carnival allowing students to get a hands on experience with science.

Hislop: "Usually kids don't get to do science, so this is a good chance for them to learn. I think this is a wonderful experience for them, and it gets them thinking which is what our job is as teachers."

Students applied for positions to run the booths at the carnival.

From solar energy houses to get this, solar energy ovens, these kids are really cooking up science. And while it might not be rocket science for these students, before you know it, they will start thinking about energy sources that are available to us."

Hislop:, "You can't just switch on a light bulb and not have a source in which that energy may go, so we need to have this younger analyzing things like that."

Over 600 students had an opportunity to explore ten different booths for 6 days at the carnival.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Some students in Bakersfield are building up their energy to help out the environment.

This fifth grade teacher designed the project, Energy Explorer to help her students under stand the concept of renewable energy. "Our children need to learn about renewable energy because they're not going to have the oil and energy that we have now."

And her idea paid off. Not only granting her $1,000 dollar grant but it was a hit with her students.

Hislop's students will run a science carnival for the entire school that has renewable energy activities.

But before students can participate they must first fill out a job application to get hired.

Hislop, "I tell them you fill out a job application and you make a mistake... you don't get the job and they took it very seriously."

At the carnival students will get to make solar bracelets as well as build a solar house. Students are so excited. They have the lab coats to prove it. as they gear up for a hands on exploration to science.

But more importantly it will provide an opportunity to several hundred students.

Hislop, "This will provide 600 children with an opportunity to go through ten different exploration booths hands on, and its going to open their eyes to what is available in their future."