Youth Education

MPW is proud to support our youth through various programs, scholarships, and contests.

Electric Safety Education for Schools

MPW performs electrical safety demonstrations for 4th grade classes in the Muscatine area and other public events. This is a great opportunity for students to learn about Muscatine Power and Water and how electricity is generated and distributed to homes to power everything we enjoy. A live electrical demonstration is performed using safety measures that keeps our employees safe, helping children to identify hazards. This knowledge could help keep them and their families safe!

The demonstration explains the following principles, dangers, and general information:

How electricity is generated at MPW
Danger of climbing trees or fences near powerlines and substations
Dangers of using metal ladders near electrical lines
Dangers of flying kites near power lines
The big green metal boxes and why it’s important to call Iowa One Call when digging at home
Dangers of electricity used near swimming pools
Dangers of power lines falling on a vehicle in a collision and what to do

Scholarships

These scholarship opportunities support efforts to build our future workforce. Counselors at Muscatine High School have details on MPW Scholarships.

Each spring, MPW awards two $500 scholarships to children of MP&W customers interested in pursing a degree that is applicable to a future career/employment at MPW. Degrees in STEM or business fields such as, Information Technology, Accounting, Engineering, Energy Efficiency, Environmental, Skilled Trades, etc., qualify for consideration. A separate scholarship is available for students interested in careers as electric
line workers.

The American Public Power Association (APPA) has additional opportunities through its DEED Scholarship Program, mentioned below.

The Edward Archer Memorial/MPW Powerline Scholarship was established in memory of Ed Archer. Ed graduated form the Northwest Iowa Technical College Powerline Program and was a career employee at MPW. This memorial has been established by Ed’s wife, Kathy, and Muscatine Power and Water to promote the lineman trade and assist students preparing for a career in this field.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Applied and been accepted to the Powerline Program.
Possess a minimum high school GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Have a record of good class attendance and demonstrated leadership.
Submit a letter of recommendation from a high school teacher, high school guidance counselor, or current employer.
Submit a personal letter addressing your desire to succeed in the profession.

Interested students may also review Northwest Iowa Technical College’s scholarship program.

Every year, the DEED Board allocates grants up to $125,000 to DEED member utilities for their research and $4,000 and $5,000 student research grants and internships to university students. Read about these DEED opportunities and other funding sources.

APPA Deed Scholarship