This isn't the first time East Burke High School's Magic Fuel Bus team has received national attention, but this is the first time they got it on television.
Fox News was at the high school Wednesday to capture footage of the Magic Fuel Bus team in action.
Earlier this year, the team placed second in Walmart's national Earth Day Every Day challenge. The competition highlighted schools that have implemented green and energy-efficient policies.
East Burke science teacher Bob Smith said, "I am extremely proud of these students. They've worked themselves hard to make this happen."
"We never anticipated national news coverage," he continued. "The whole school is thrilled to death."
Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Art Stellar said, "I think it's a really good effort and the students and their teacher are to be commended for this education project which also helps the environment."
Fox News network contacted Smith after hearing about East Burke through Walmart's challenge, Smith said.
Three of the original six team members (Nou Yang, Mucheng Yang and Ethan Hull) are still at East Burke and were featured in two live national segments at 8:30 and 11:40 a.m., Smith said. A third, recorded, segment was scheduled for an evening telecast during the Shepard Smith show.
Smith said the objectives of the biodiesel program were to give the students hands-on opportunities to utilize the lessons they learned in the classroom on real-world problems, to stimulate interest in science and engineering careers, to develop poise and confidence and to support President Barack Obama's energy plans.
Smith said the team put together an economic study showing how the school system could save money by producing its own biodiesel. The report was submitted to then-Schools Superintendent David Burleson.
Stellar said he has not seen the proposal, but has spoken with Associate Superintendent Tony Cox about applying for a grant for the transportation department that would help expand the biodiesel idea.
"It is exactly the kind of thing we need to be looking at," Stellar said, talking about the environmental, educational and financial benefits of implementing a biodiesel production program.
The Magic Fuel Bus team was formed in the fall of 2008 when six of Smith's students got together to build a reactor processor to produce biodiesel fuel. The team received a $1,000 grant from Rutherford EMC to make biodiesel fuel from waste vegetable oil.
Granny's Kitchen in Connelly Springs donated used cooking oil.
After constructing two failed processors, the students successfully produced a batch of biodiesel fuel in January.
Each batch of fuel was tested for quality and was then used in the high school's activity and yellow school buses. Mixtures of 5 to 15 percent biodiesel with diesel were tested for two weeks.
In March, the Magic Fuel Bus team presented the results and implications of the project to school administrators, school board members, local biodiesel experts and parents.
The team has invited President Obama to speak at the school about his energy plans.
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