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Entergy celebrates Nuclear Science Week 2023
10/30/2023
Entergy celebrates Nuclear Science Week 2023
Team reaches more than 1,500 students and families with nuclear education
Nuclear Science Week is an international, broadly observed week-long celebration to focus local, regional and international interests on all aspects of nuclear science.
During Nuclear Science Week, celebrated on the third week of October each year, Entergy’s nuclear fleet boosts outreach through hosting activities, events and plant tours in their local areas.
Entergy’s nuclear sites and headquarters participated in outreach, except for Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station, which is currently in a scheduled refueling outage.
Last year, Entergy’s Women In Nuclear chapter received the award of Most Reactive Chapter by having the highest outreach of any fleet in the nation, an award they are aiming for again this year. The week’s activities and events are described below by site.
Nuclear Headquarters
Nuclear headquarters’ WIN chapter kicked off Nuclear Science Week by visiting their local adopted school, North Jackson Elementary, to teach fourth and fifth grade classes, a total of nearly 100 students, about nuclear energy. A team of six volunteers presented a lesson about nuclear energy, taught students about the safety systems and redundancies inside nuclear reactors through an activity called candy reactors, and taught students about nuclear energy through a dance activity, in which students are split into groups and all do one move each that represents part of a structure that gets clean, carbon-free electricity to homes and businesses.
Headquarters’ chapters of WIN and North American Young Generation in Nuclear partnered for a postcard push—distributing 500 cards to send to Mississippi federal representatives that express the benefits of and advocate for nuclear power in the U.S.
On Thursday, the headquarters’ chapter of WIN partnered with their NAYGN chapter again to sponsor activities at the Mississippi Children’s Museum, located in Jackson, Miss. Eleven volunteers set up stations with a Wimshurst machine, a hand crank generator and a snap circuit set to demonstrate electricity generation, as well as a coloring station, candy reactors and an opportunity to dress out in radiation protection gear. They interacted with approximately 120 students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade from New Hope Christian Elementary, as well as their parents and other museum attendees.
To wrap up the week, WIN hosted more than 30 Girl Scouts along with their parents at headquarters, helping the scouts to earn their nuclear patch. The day included a welcome presentation with a simple explanation of nuclear energy and seven stations with educational activities. Executive sponsors Chief Nuclear Officer Kimberly Cook-Nelson, Vice President of Nuclear Independent Oversight Dawn Sileo and Vice President of Regulatory Assurance Ron Gaston were in attendance and spoke about the importance of clean, carbon-free energy.
Arkansas Nuclear One
For Nuclear Science Week, Arkansas Nuclear One employees hosted plant tours for more than 50 students from Mountain Home High School and Valley View High School who travelled nearly three hours each to learn about Arkansas’s largest producer of green energy. The students learned the basics of nuclear energy while also learning about career opportunities at the plant.
ANO's WIN chapter spent Monday speaking to the entire sixth grade class at Russellville Middle School. More than 400 students learned about how nuclear energy is made, the history of and general information about the plant and the various career opportunities available there.
On Tuesday, ANO’s NAYGN chapter visited three kindergarten classes at Atkins Elementary School to read George’s Energy Adventure, a book in which the main character learns about how energy diversification powers the world. They also handed out Entergy Nuclear trinkets for the kindergartners to take home.
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station
For three days during Nuclear Science week, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station employees from WIN, NAYGN and Day and Zimmerman hosted more than 200 local middle and high school students from six schools at the plant. During the plant tour, students participated in hands-on activities to learn about different craft trades, how electricity works through a STEM activity, what a day in the life of a security officer is like, how radiation protection technicians work to keep the public and employees safe, how a chemistry technician takes samples in the plant and much more.
On Saturday, GGNS hosted Girl and Boy Scout troops and students from the Natchez Youth Council, totaling 24 students, as well as their families. The students participated in STEM activities such as volcano lemons, rain clouds in a jar, lava lamps in a bottle, dancing popcorn and built structures through a tradesman activity to earn their nuclear patch and learn about nuclear energy.
River Bend Station
River Bend Station hosted their third annual STEM fair for Nuclear Science Week, hosting 208 students from Bains Elementary School as well as 12 parents. The fifth graders participated in different activities, including snap circuits and candy reactors, focused on the benefits of clean, reliable and sustainable nuclear energy. The fifth graders also spent time in the control room simulator. As always, the buttons were very tempting, but they learned about what it takes to become a nuclear operator.
River Bend Station also celebrated Nuclear Science Week at the annual West Feliciana Trunk or Treat, with more than 350 community members in attendance. During the event, community members participated in activities showcasing the benefits of nuclear power and enjoyed sweet treats. One of the sweet treats handed out during the trunk or treat was a gummy bear, which is equivalent to the size of a uranium pellet. They walked away learning that one of our gummy bears (uranium pellets) is equal to one ton of coal, 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas and three barrels of oil.
Inspiring the next generation of nuclear professionals
Congratulations to the Entergy Nuclear fleet for another successful Nuclear Science Week and thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the activities!
For more information about Entergy Nuclear, follow us on Twitter at @EntergyNuclear or visit our website www.entergy-nuclear.com.
