A light bulb went off when the New Hampshire State Prison for Women wanted to find ways to conserve energy: Why not ask the inmates for help?
Instead of hiring pricey consultants, the prison enrolled 14 inmates in a program called Savings Through Energy Management.
After 30 hours in the classroom and 40 hours on their own, the women developed a plan that could save the prison more than $13,000 a year.
Carole Whitcher-Adams, the prison's education coordinator, contacted the governor's energy commission and Public Service Company of New Hampshire after inmates began asking for more advanced science classes. The STEM program, which is sponsored by the utility, proved to be a perfect fit.
The women quickly learned about renewable and nonrenewable resources and energy as they studied the prison's entire floor plan. Their suggestions ranged from lowering the hot-water temperature to improving the weather stripping on windows.
The class included inmates from age 19 to 50, some working toward high school degrees and others who were veteran teachers. All of them said they valued the experience.
Dozens of schools across the state have participated in the STEM program, but this was the first time a prison or jail had done so. Department of Corrections Commissioner Phil Stanley said he will take the recommendations seriously.