Team reaches more than 1,200 students and families with nuclear education 

Nuclear Science Week is an international, broadly observed week-long celebration to focus local, regional and international interests on all aspects of nuclear science. 

During Nuclear Science Week, celebrated on the third week of October each year, Entergy’s nuclear fleet boosts outreach by hosting activities, events and plant tours in our communities. 

Nuclear headquarters 

To kick off the week, the Women in Nuclear chapter at our Nuclear headquarters hosted more than 40 Girl Scouts, along with their parents at headquarters, helping the scouts earn their nuclear patch. The scouts kicked off the day with an engaging presentation on nuclear science, atoms, and how nuclear power generation works, before rotating through seven interactive stations. Topics included everything from half-life demonstrations, radiation and learning about women in science. Company leaders opened the event and shared words of inspiration and welcomed the families, scouts and troop leaders to learn about the importance of clean, carbon-free energy. 

On Wednesday and Thursday, the WIN chapter continued its Nuclear Science Week community outreach at Callaway High School, engaging with nearly 200 seniors educating them about nuclear science and career opportunities at Entergy. Chief Nuclear Officer John Dinelli was in attendance and encouraged students to pursue nuclear careers right in their backyard at Entergy. During the event volunteers shared personal insights into nuclear careers, trade paths, military service and other Entergy operations careers while also coaching students on elevator speeches, professional communication, and life skills that will serve them well in any future endeavor. 

Nuclear headquarters’ WIN chapter visited North Jackson Elementary, their local adopted school, to teach nearly 100 fourth and fifth grade students about nuclear energy. A team of volunteers presented an interactive lesson called candy reactors, teaching students about the safety systems and redundancies inside nuclear reactors. 

Arkansas Nuclear One 

On Tuesday, team members from Arkansas Nuclear One visited Lamar High School to educate students and teachers about how we create clean, reliable and carbon-free energy for our communities. 

Team members from ANO spent Wednesday speaking to Pottsville High School. More than 300 students learned about how nuclear energy is made, the history of the plant and the various career opportunities available to them. 

On Friday, ANO’s team members visited Hector High School to speak to their career classes about jobs that students can pursue in nuclear energy upon graduation. 

Grand Gulf Nuclear Station 

For three days during Nuclear Science week, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station employees from WIN and North American Young Generation in Nuclear chapters hosted more than 300 local middle and high school students from six schools at the plant. During the plant tour, students participated in hands-on activities to learn about different craft trades, how electricity, what a day in the life of a security officer is like, how radiation protection technicians work to keep the public and employees safe, how a chemistry technician takes samples in the plant and much more. 

River Bend Station 

On Monday, River Bend Station partnered with the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge to build candy reactors with their fourth graders and discuss nuclear science career opportunities with their high school engineering class. 

On Tuesday, River Bend Station hosted team members from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy, National Governors Association, Louisiana Public Service Commission, Louisiana Workforce Commission and American Chemical Society to educate their teams on the benefits of nuclear energy. 

On Wednesday, River Bend Station visited Zachary High School’s robotics class to present their robotics team with a donation and discuss different ways we use drones throughout our nuclear fleet. 

Waterford 3 

The WIN chapter at Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station partnered with the St. Charles Parish Library to host a STEM fair where visitors of all ages explored the world of science and innovation. Attendees participated in hands-on activities like radiation protection training, virtual reality, robotics, reactor engineering and more. It was an evening filled with curiosity, creativity and opportunities to spark a lifelong interest in STEM. 

The WIN chapter at Waterford 3 also celebrated Nuclear Science Week at Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies. They had over 120 students build candy reactors and dress out like a nuclear worker.    

Inspiring the next generation of nuclear professionals 

Through community partnerships like these, our teams are showcasing the value and safety of clean, reliable nuclear energy and what careers are possible for our next generation of leaders.  

If you’re interested in learning more about nuclear at Entergy, follow us on X at @EntergyNuclear or visit our website www.entergy.com/nuclear.