While the political climate seems favorable for the development of fuel-cell vehicles for personal transportation, the market's demand may not be so favorable. Nonetheless, middle level students will be the next generation of drivers and voters, and they need to be able to make informed decisions regarding the nation's energy and transportation policies and understand how such decisions impact the environment. Students learn first-hand two advantages of using fuel-cell technology: (1) the fuel is hydrogen, which is the most abundant element in the universe; and (2) the product of the internal reaction is water which is far more benign than the many products of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. Students also discover that another advantage of using a fuel cell to generate electricity is that there are no moving parts, making it more efficient than a generator.