National Fuel and the Buffalo Sabres'
Invite You to Join the NEED Project

National Fuel's Energy Detectives Program, started in 2008, offers Western New York schools an education program for fifth through twelfth grade teachers to help students become Energy Detectives by learning about energy efficiency, conservation and energy sources. The program includes hands-on classroom materials and take-home kits for participating students and their families. Materials include information on National Fuel's Conservation Incentive Program, brochures with energy savings tips, electric outlet and switch draft stoppers, window insulation kits, weather strip caulking cords, faucet aerators and water-saving showerheads. As part of the program, formal lesson plans integrate educational activities and community outreach projects.

Since inception, more than 19,000 Energy Detectives and 180 teachers have joined thousands of others to become members of the Sabres' Green Team. Introduced in 2007, the Green Team highlights the Sabres' dedication to the sustainability of the environment in Western New York through the Blue & Gold Make Green Initiative. The organization is committed to creating programming to help Sabres fans reduce their environmental footprints while educating them on conservation issues, providing them with conservation tips to promote cost-effective energy use and directing them to additional resources where they can learn more about the environment and energy-related issues and events in their communities.

Energy Detectives Classroom Contest

National Fuel, the Buffalo Sabres and NEED (National Energy Education Development Project) are pleased to name Depew Middle School the School of the Year in New York State for promoting energy efficiency in their school and community. Two students were also named Western New York’s top Energy Detectives of the year.

On March 31st, Buffalo Sabre Derek Roy joined Sabres mascot Sabretooth in congratulating Kaitlyn Biggs and Joshua Bleasdale as the NEED program’s top students in the Energy Detectives curriculum. A pizza party featuring hands-on conservation and energy efficiency experiments was followed by a sixth grade assembly featuring the Buffalo Sabres representatives. The top Energy Detectives each received an autographed Sabres’ hockey stick and baseball caps. Their science teacher Barbette DeMarco was recognized for her participation in the classroom program for the past three years and for serving as an energy advocate within her school.

Depew Middle School

Next year's Energy Detectives Contest is currently being developed for the 2011-2012 school year. For additional information, please continue to check this website, or contact NEED at 1-866-720-2123 or by e-mail at [email protected].