Gateway Elementary Students Visit Science Center through the NOPEC Busing Program
CLEVELAND: Over 100 students from Gateway Elementary School had the opportunity to visit the Great Lakes Science Center for a field trip thanks to NOPEC’s sponsorship providing bus transportation for schools to visit the Science Center.
The students were greeted by Science Center staff and Courtney Freyhauf, NOPEC’s Manager of Community Outreach and Education as they got off the bus. The group was then treated to a tour of the Science Center, highlighting new and upcoming exhibits. They were also treated to a Big Science Show where students participated in the experiments.
“We are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact and to be part of what made it possible for these students to visit the Science Center,” says Freyhauf. “Experiences like this spark curiosity, inspire learning, and create memories that last far beyond the day.”
Great Lakes Science Center already offers free admission to Title-I schools, but many schools still struggle to find transportation to and from the museum. Thanks to NOPEC’s sponsorship, Great Lakes Science Center is providing field trip transportation for classrooms from Title-I schools in NOPEC member communities. NOPEC's sponsorship support will provide transportation for approximately 1,000 students and 250 teachers/chaperones during the 2025-26 school year.
“Schools routinely identify transportation as one of the biggest barriers hindering their ability to go on field trips.” says Brett Nicholas, Great Lakes Science Center’s Vice President of Development. “The NOPEC busing program removes that barrier and provides opportunities for teachers to expand their students’ learning experiences by engaging in hands-on, curiosity inspiring Science Center exhibits and programs.”
About NOPEC: NOPEC is Ohio’s largest public retail energy aggregation in Ohio. They use the bulk buying power of 250 member communities to negotiate exclusive electric and natural gas rates for nearly a million residential and small business customers. Since 2001, NOPEC has saved residents and small businesses hundreds of millions of dollars on their energy costs, provided education opportunities for Ohio students and residents, and helped protect Ohio consumers by advocating for consumer-friendly energy policies to protect against unfair utility rate increases. For more information about NOPEC, visit nopec.org.
About Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, has reached more than 10 million visitors, and serves as a STEM education leader in Northeast Ohio. The Science Center produced Total Eclipse Fest in 2024, one of the largest free eclipse events in the country and is home to the NASA Glenn Visitor Center. The Science Center makes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) come alive for more than 300,000 visitors a year through hundreds of hands-on exhibits, temporary exhibitions, the Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater, historic Steamship William G. Mather, daily science demonstrations, seasonal camps and more. The Science Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution, earned a Charity Navigator Four Star Rating in 2025, receiving top scores for financial efficiency, sustainability and trust worthiness. The Science Center is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Visit GreatScience.com for more information.
