The event's keynote speaker, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and New YorkTimes columnist Thomas Friedman, has chided what he calls "Generation Q" as being "...too quiet, too online, for its owngood, and for the country's own good." This year, however, the Forum,which is sponsored by the U.S. EnergyAssociation and Johnson Controls,Inc. will spotlight a growing number of informed and active youngervoices.

Individual students from kindergarten through college will leverage thepresence of the Forum's 300 top-level government, business and energydecision-makers to raise awareness of the need to provide energy efficiencysolutions.

Carnegie Mellon University engineering graduate students Shazeen Attari ofDubai, UAE; Ines Margarida Lima de Azevedo of Lisbon, Portugal; ConstantineSamaras of Annapolis, Md.; and Benjamin Flath of Scotch Plains, N.J. willbe recognized for winning a letter-writing competition entitled "Tomorrow's Energy Ambassadors, Managers, andScholars" (TEAMS). Their compelling letter was published in USA Todayand called on the presidential candidates to clarify their positions onsuch topics as energy independence and climate change.

"I thought that the letter was a really good avenue to explain to people,to get our message out there that we are really passionate," said Attari."We want people to do something about climate change and we need actionnow."

Students Submit Ingenious Ideas on Energy Efficiency

Additionally, students from kindergarten through high school will berecognized as winners of the "Igniting CreativeEnergy" (ICE) challenge. Students nationwide were challenged to submitprojects that demonstrated ways of practicing sustainability at home, atschool, or in the community. Winners include:

-- Tessa Hartley of St.