AES BUILDS ENGINEERS -- BOOKS & BUDDING BUILDERS!
Energy company AES, headquartered in Arlington, has partnered with RIF NOVA to provide STEM-related books AND to teach children about sources of energy. Read below to learn more about each event.
AES "Energizes" Carlin Springs Elementary 5th Graders -- October 14, 2025
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Students at Arlington's Carlin Springs Elementary had the exciting opportunity to explore renewable energy through a hands-on activity led by volunteers from the AES Corporation. Fifth graders learned about how electricity is generated, transmitted, and distributed around the world — and even got to experiment with a fun “Sharing Sunlight” activity inspired by AES’s innovations in solar power. |
Students were especially fascinated to learn about Maximo, the world’s first AI-powered robot designed to help install solar panels in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Even more exciting, one of the visiting volunteers, Daisy, the inventor of Maximo. What an incredible experience for students to meet a real-life inventor working to build a cleaner energy future! This interactive learning experience helped students connect science concepts from the classroom to real-world energy solutions, sparking curiosity and teamwork. At the end of the event, every student was able to choose a brand new STEM-themed book related to energy to take home and add to a personal home library!
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Energy at Barcroft Elementary, Times Two! -- December 10, 2024
Energy was in the air as AES volunteers visited Arlington's Barcroft Elementary School in October and December 2024. The December 10, 2024 visit focused on 5th graders. In their science classrooms, the children discussed various energy sources and then watched a video about solar energy, learning more about how it's collected, stored, and transferred to homes and businesses. They saw a picture of an AES solar farm about two hours away from Arlington in Spotsylvania, Virginia and then had to map out their ideas about how to move solar energy from there into Arlington homes and schools as usable electricity. It took some serious thinking and discussion with the AES experts, but then the kids began to draw their ideas.
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When the special classes were over, the children posed with pride with their diagrams. They had learned a lot from their AES "teachers," including some of the positives and negatives about solar energy. "Solar panels don't make as much energy as I thought they would," said one girl. Another student said he was really surprised at the size of the batteries used to store the energy. "They are almost as big as a house!" he exclaimed. Still another thought of a relevant analogy, equating the process of energy transfer to "passing a ball from one player to another in soccer." Another student said she liked that solar is eco-friendly and that "you can have it on your own home!" At the end of their most interesting science class, each child chose a STEM book to take home for keeps.
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"Math is boring. This is fun!" -- Barcroft ES, October 14, 2024
Fourth grade students at Barcroft -- many clad in their PJs because it was Pajama Day -- had a ball as AES facilitated a wind turbine building project. Volunteer AES staff members showed up in full force on October 15, 2024 to teach kids about energy, where it comes from, and how to generate it. Around the classrooms, children were heard saying, "I never knew solar panels could produce energy, and now I do!" and "I learned where energy comes from!" And then they went to work -- applying their new knowledge and their creativity to build mini-turbines AND works of art!
Each child then chose a STEM-related book to take home in an AES-provided book bag. Upon getting a book, one child said, "Reading really is fundamental. It tells you stories. I cannot live without books!" We, at RIF NOVA, totally agree!!! We are very grateful to AES for continuing this active learning project for area students. Special thanks also to Barcroft library assistant Daniela Londono for helping to make this day a success.
Each child then chose a STEM-related book to take home in an AES-provided book bag. Upon getting a book, one child said, "Reading really is fundamental. It tells you stories. I cannot live without books!" We, at RIF NOVA, totally agree!!! We are very grateful to AES for continuing this active learning project for area students. Special thanks also to Barcroft library assistant Daniela Londono for helping to make this day a success.
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"This is the best day of my life!" -- Hoffman-Boston ES, 12/12/23
In December 2023, AES held a holiday book drive to provide STEM-related books for second graders at the county's Hoffman-Boston Elementary School. After explaining what a wind turbine is and does, AES volunteer staff members led the children through a project to build a mini wind turbine of their own. Who knew that building a wind turbine could be so much fun -- using cardboard, cups, string, glue, pipe cleaners, stickers, tape...well, the works! Adding to the fun was picking a new STEM book to take home for the holidays! Said one child, "This is the best day of my life!" At first, AES staff worked with individual children to explain the concept.
Tawechote Wongbuphanimitr, AES Social Impact Manager, co-directed the turbine project and gave guidance as kids started to build
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Louis Razafimandimby, an AES senior accountant, had fun coaching this young builder
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AES's Anne Le said the best part of the project was engaging the children and their creativity
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As the children grew more confident, they started building the turbines on their own.
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Sharing ideas in teams made the project even more fun!
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And then it was time to show off their wares. Oh, the self-confidence of success! Just look at these faces!
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Special thanks to AES for providing such great STEM books and for creating energy-related projects to make learning so much fun for children in the RIF NOVA community!
Note: Adults pictured in the 2023 cover photo above (l-r) include Jeanette Cimino, RIF NOVA vice president, former board president Justina Johnson, and AES volunteers Isabella Guastaferro and Adriana Roccaro.
Note: Adults pictured in the 2023 cover photo above (l-r) include Jeanette Cimino, RIF NOVA vice president, former board president Justina Johnson, and AES volunteers Isabella Guastaferro and Adriana Roccaro.
