By Laura Baker                                                                                                          Back to Announcements

Kids put energy into their art

‘‘Meet the Watt family from planet Energy. The model doesn’t need new light bulbs; it only uses recycled ones.’’ Lauren Thompson

LONDON —  “When it’s cold,

you can just put on extra layers

instead of switching on the heating. I modeled my picture on a tea cozy,” said 10-year-old Alice

Carter at the Saudi Aramco and

National Energy Action (NEA)

Energy Day held recently at the Science Museum.

                                                                                                The five finalists of the Keeping Kozee Competition

                                                                                                pose with their ribbons .

    The event was held for finalists of the Saudi Aramco and NEA “Keeping Kozee” national art competition. Students age 6-14 from across the U.K. entered creative pieces illustrating what energy efficiency meant to them. More than 1,000 entries were received, and the shortlisted 15 were invited to attend a day of energy-related activities at the Science Museum. The pupils’ works were put on display at the event, and representatives from Saudi Aramco and the NEA helped select five overall winners.

  “Meet the Watt family from planet Energy,” said 9-year-old Lauren Thompson. Lauren’s creation of a 3D model of a family made entirely out of recycled light bulbs was the winner of the 8- to 9-year-old category. “The model doesn’t need new light bulbs; it only uses recycled ones,” she added. In addition to the winners being rewarded with prizes, the real benefits go to the winners’ schools, where each of the five schools received a Saudi Aramco donation to improve energy efficiency in their building, benefitting all students.

   NEA director of communications Maria Wardrobe said, “Hearing the students explain their thoughts behind the creations was just as interesting as seeing the entries themselves. We are over the moon with the entries we received, and the outstanding quality has made it incredibly difficult to judge.”

   Nabil K. Al-Dabal, managing director of Aramco Overseas Co. (AOC), spoke of the company’s support. “We fully support the NEA as their aspirations to promote energy efficiency are in line with our own. Although we are an energy company, we believe it is very important not to waste energy. We must use it wisely. The younger generation is our future, and we are delighted to be supporting such a worthwhile project.” The winning entries will be recreated as greeting cards and displayed on the AOC website, with all proceeds from sales of the cards through the NEA helping people in poverty with their fuel bills.