Alternative Energy 101
Key West High School expands popular program

By Matt Standal

Known for his classroom-based synthesis of environmentally-friendly 'bio' diesel fuel, Key West teacher Josh Clearman is clearly focused on the future.

The Washington native, who does double duty as an FIU physics instructor, runs the 'Alternative Energy Lab' at Key West High School. Here, he guides upper-level students from the Southernmost City in a hands-on manufacturing process that creates low-emission bio-diesel from recycled restaurant grease. Hidden inside the school's age-old auto shop, his unique facility is equal parts Weird Science and "West Coast Choppers." As far as he knows, it's the only classroom of its kind.

 And it's about to get bigger.

Adding the equipment needed to safely produce large amounts of bio-diesel on-campus, the excited educator expects his incoming science students will yield more than 1,000 gallons of the sudsy, bacon-scented fuel within the year.

More new projects like solar panels, wind turbines, and cisterns are set to round out the energy educator's new fall lineup of learning technology.

"Our goal is to make our kids good at green technology because there are green technology jobs out there," says Clearman. "We want students to know that there's money to be made."

Touring his updated auto shop turned energy lab, it's hard to ignore the green guru's prophetic words.

Stocked with a traditional bevy of mechanic's tools and home to a Mercedes Benz powered by bio-diesel, Clearman's age-old garage still retains some of its grease monkey characteristics. Yet with its walls sprouting Ethernet cables and desks arranged in neat rows, its exotic insides have taken on a space-age identity. A combination classroom, auto-garage, and mad scientist's lair, the lab is truly a hybrid center for high school technology and a forward-thinking twist on real-world education.

The amazing part: "The kids aren't doing anything they wouldn't do outside a normal classroom," Clearman says. "Safety is paramount, and this won't be any sort of manufacturing process. They're really going to learn something unique."
Standing behind the project since its inception, Monroe County School District Superintendent Randy Acevedo says he's just as excited as the top teacher.

Calling the lab a "very positive venue," Acevedo regularly stops in to check on its progress during his travels throughout the District. The top administrator has also shown his support by taking part in past events like the Keys-wide bio diesel rally and the GLEE Expo, both featuring his students' bio diesel technology.

 "Kids learning and producing someting that at the same time saves the district money—we are excited about the possibilities," he said in an interview with the Weekly.

  With sights set on someday producing enough fuel to sustain the district's fleet of school buses and passenger vehicles, both Acevedo and Clearman also hope the new technology will eventually help cut rising education costs within the school district.

"Could it save our schools a chunk of change?" asks Clearman. "Possibly; but the real value here is that it makes our students realize that they can actually make a difference in a world they're constantly being told is in trouble."

Keys Green Living and Energy Education (GLEE) President Alison Higgins agrees.

Strongly supporting the Key West High School initiative, Higgins works closely with both KWHS and nearby Florida Keys Community College on different aspects of "green" technology. She also plans to support the future development of bio diesel at both area schools, and will serve as an area consultant throughout the 2008-09 school-year.

Framing the project from a community-wide viewpoint, the local Queen of Green said "Classes like these are the brand-new underpinning of the 'green collar' jobs that our presidential candidates are talking about right now."

Higgins, who has played a linchpin role in the development of bio-diesel in other areas of the Keys, added "Projects like these bring real-life application to our high school classes that should benefit students, the school district, and our environment at the same time. This could also be the start of a way to weave green technology into FKCC classes and bring it to our developing workforce here in the Keys."