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Don Sharp, right, presents Amanda Clearcreek Principal Angie Harrison, with OFBF’s Children’s Literature Award-Winning book, Clarabelle, during the kickoff. Click here for video of the kickoff event

AMANDA, Ohio – The Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) recently hosted a kickoff event at Amanda-Clearcreek High School to promote Clean Air for Kids, an educational campaign that seeks to educate Ohio school districts, administrators and parents about the benefits of using soy biodiesel in school buses, as well as the School Bus Soy Biodiesel Grant Program.

The event began with a kickoff ceremony in the morning with guest speakers from OSC, the Ohio Energy Office, Fairfield County Farm Bureau and the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Amanda-Clearcreek Local School District, who is already finding success using soy biodiesel and is a current applicant for the School Bus Soy Biodiesel Grant Program, was presented with a certificate of recognition for their efforts in providing cleaner air for their students.

Three years ago, a lady approached the Amanda-Clearcreek School Board and expressed concern about the fumes the children were breathing when riding the school bus, said Don Sharp, president of the Fairfield County Farm Bureau. The school board made a commitment that they would transport the students in the safest way possible, so when the opportunity came about to use soy biodiesel it was an easy decision to make the switch because it burns cleaner.

Developed by OSC and the soybean checkoff, the Clean Air for Kids campaign is promoting B20 soy biodiesel (20 percent soy biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel) to decision makers in Ohio’s 600 school districts as a sensible alternative fuel that burns cleaner and releases fewer emissions into the air. This environmental benefit is even more important when considering school buses with children in close proximity.

The Clean Air for Kids program is a great example of how we’re bringing the benefits of soy biodiesel to the public’s attention, and helping to make a difference by bringing this renewable, cleaner-burning fuel into greater use where it just makes sense in school buses, said Dan Corcoran, OSC chairman. This program benefits Ohio school children, the environment and Ohio soybean farmers.

The School Bus Soy Biodiesel Grant Program was established in Governor Strickland’s biennium budget and is administered by the Ohio Department of Development. Schools wanting to use soy biodiesel in their buses have the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost difference between regular petroleum diesel and soy biodiesel. The grants are for a B20 blend, and there is no additional cost to school districts.

Governor Strickland and lawmakers realized the advantages that biodiesel offers, and passed a law [biennium state budget], and leaders of Amanda-Clearcreek saw a great opportunity, said Doug O’Brien, assistant director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. I congratulate them for that, and for providing cleaner emissions to their students.

And while several Ohio schools have already made the switch to soy biodiesel, this grant program will provide additional support.

Grant programs are typically no more than an idea until someone takes advantage of their opportunity, said Sherry Hubbard, office chief for the Ohio Energy Office. I would like to commend Amanda-Clearcreek School District for stepping up and taking advantage of the biodiesel school bus grant program.

The opportunity that the School Bus Soy Biodiesel Grant Program provides to Ohio school districts would not exist without the legislative efforts of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and the Ohio Soybean Association.

I would like to recognize the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and the Ohio Soybean Association for their efforts in being instrumental in getting the grant program into the State budget, said Corcoran. Without their leadership, this program would not have been possible.

After the kickoff ceremony, OSC educational consultants held several classes throughout the day, educating Amanda-Clearcreek science classes about air quality issues and soy biodiesel. Through the Clean Air for Kids campaign, these types of educational opportunities are available to other Ohio schools.

For more information about education and the entire Clean Air for Kids campaign, visit www.soybiodiesel.org/kids.