SHREVEPORT, La., October 18, 2004 – AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company  (SWEPCO), is bringing its electrical safety education efforts into the classroom through an innovative, interactive educational touring theatre show that actively engages local school children in learning.
            The Further Adventures of Louie the Lightning Bug is AEP’s fast-paced, action-packed live learning program that involves kids in the subject matter, presents lessons in a way that kids enjoy and helps children remember what they learned about electrical safety long after the show is over.
            SWEPCO has sponsored The Further Adventures of Louie the Lightning Bug in about 40 elementary schools this month at no charge. Scheduled to host the show locally in the TEXARKANA area are:
 
Pleasant Grove Middle                        5605 Cooks Lane               October 20   2:00 p.m.
Crestview Elem. (New Boston)            604 N. McCoy Blvd.              October 21   8:30 & 9 a.m.
Fairview Elementary                            820 E. 17^th St.                                    October 21   1:30 & 2 p.m.
 
 
Using colorful sets and characters in humorous situations, Further Adventures is designed to teach young people the concepts and importance of electrical safety.
            The producer of this educational program is The National Theatre for Children, a Minnesota-based national touring company. NTC develops and tours educational theatre programs to schools on behalf of corporations, non-profits and municipalities that wish to teach important societal messages for 6- to 12-year-old students in a unique way. Using creative audience participation techniques, NTC performs age-appropriate live theatre and supplies each student and teacher with follow-up curriculum.
            Bradley Hardin, SWEPCO manager of community affairs in Texarkana, said bringing Louie to local schools underscores AEP’s commitment to electrical safety and education of young people.           
“Working together, AEP and NTC make it possible for local students to see this program and learn about electrical safety in a fun, exciting way that will help students remember how to play it safe around electricity,” said Hardin.
            Further Adventures will be offered to every local elementary school over the next two years. Schools will be encouraged to book the program every second or third year so that all students ultimately will have the opportunity to experience live theatre and learn key electrical safety messages.
            The curriculum materials that accompany the program are used in the classroom to expand on and reinforce electricity and electrical safety concepts. The materials include booklets that students can take home and share with parents to demonstrate and strengthen the youngsters’ understanding.
            During the 2003-2004 school year, over 2,000 live theatre presentations were experienced by more than 440,000 students in 1,400 schools across AEP’s 11-state service area.
SWEPCO, an operating company unit of American Electric Power, serves about 170,000 customers in Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkansas. AEP owns and operates more than 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States and select international markets and is the largest electricity generator in the U.S.  AEP is also one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, with almost 5 million customers linked to AEP’s 11-state electricity transmission and distribution grid.  The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.
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            News releases from SWEPCO can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.aep.com., under Newsroom, click on regional utility news releases and select Southwestern Electric Power Company.
 
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