Soaring Heights students get lesson in nuclear power

Early last month, Soaring Heights School students got a taste of what it’s like to work in the nuclear power industry.

Michael Tonks, assistant professor at Penn State’s department of mechanical and nuclear engineering, visited the school to speak about nuclear energy.

School Director John Dibert said students learned about what systems are in place for production of electricity and safety of the community, and about new technology being made to help create safer nuclear energy plants.

The presentation was part of a climate change unit, in which the students learned about different ways to generate electricity.

Though that, Dibert said, the students had to determine the method they thought had the least environmental impact on the Earth’s temperature.

“It was a very impressive presentation,” Dibert said. “He had the students the whole way; excellent teacher.”

SHS is is a school for special needs students with four locations, including State College.

This story was originally published July 2, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Soaring Heights students get lesson in nuclear power."