GRACEMONT, OK, March 4, 2005 – Public Service Company of Oklahoma 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 a 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.
 
The company is sponsoring The Further Adventures of Louie the Lightning Bug in area elementary schools at no charge. The program will be at Gracemont Elementary at 2 p.m. on March 9.
 
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 (NTC), a Minnesota-based national touring company. NTC develops and tours educational theatre programs for schools on behalf of corporations, non-profits and municipalities that wish to teach important societal messages 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.
 
Tim Hushbeck, manager, Community Affairs, Lawton, said bringing Further Adventures to local schools underscores PSO’s commitment to electrical safety and the education of young people.
 
“Working together, PSO and NTC will make it possible for every local student 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.”
 
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, more than 370,000 students in more than 1,000 schools experienced the live theatre presentation. Schools interested in scheduling a presentation should call 1-800-858-3999.
 
PSO, a unit of American Electric Power, is an electric utility company serving more than 505,000 customers in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma.  Based in Tulsa, PSO has more than 4,000 megawatts of generating capacity and offers some of the lowest energy prices in the United States.
 
PSO’s parent company, American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), owns more than 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States and is the nation´s largest electricity generator.  AEP is also one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, with more than 5 million customers linked to AEP’s 11-state electricity transmission and distribution grid.  The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.