For Immediate Release
Contact: Wanda Heard, Sr. Public Relations and Advocacy Manager
GRID Alternatives
wheard@gridalternatives.org
510. 877.5795
Riverside, California, March 18, 2024 — GRID Alternatives Inland Empire (GRID IE) is proud to partner with Sherman Indian High School in Riverside, California, to provide training through the Solar Futures Program, funded by the San Manuel Cares Grant, a program of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, for students enrolled in the Sherman Indian High School Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways program.
“We deeply appreciate the unselfish kindness of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and their philanthropic committee, which provides the resources needed for the next generation of Indigenous youth to shine.” — Crystal Whitley, Career Technical Education Manager, Sherman Indian High School.
Six students are undergoing GRID IE’s Solar Futures training for three weeks. The program includes classroom training at Sherman Indian High School led by GRID IE’s Workforce Development staff, hands-on training at GRID IE’s Clean Tech Training Center (CTTC) in Riverside, California, and most importantly, in the field at two solar installations, where the students work alongside GRID IE’s Construction Team to install no-cost solar on an income-qualified single-family home.
"Thank you, San Manuel CARES, for supporting the GRID IE Solar Futures solar training program and the Sherman Indian High School students. The students are very engaged and excited to learn how solar works and apply that education to actual solar installations. We will seek to expand our program with more Sherman Indian High School students. This training program is key to a pathway towards good-paying renewable energy jobs. " — Lisa Castilone, Director of Tribal Programs, GRID Alternatives Inland Empire.
The six Sherman Indian High School students will soon complete their Solar Futures program. GRID IE, joined by Sherman Indian High School, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, elected representatives, and the local community, will celebrate their success with a Solar Futures Showcase. They will again demonstrate their skills at the showcase by installing no-cost solar on an income-qualified single-family home.
Date: Friday, March 22nd, 2024.
Time: 11:30 am — 1 pm
Location: 4053 Opal St, Riverside, CA 92509
GRID IE will host the event and invite speakers and the media. Light refreshments will be available. Please RSVP via email at ccorrales@gridalternatives.org if you wish to attend and see this incredible work. Your support at this critical event is incredibly valuable for us all.
"Expanding career pathways through hands-on training is a proven method of putting theory into practice. Through our partnership with Sherman Indian High School and funding from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, these students now have access to quality training that will allow them to learn and grow while helping to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. This is a win-win-win! A win for them, a win for the community, and a win for the clean energy future we aim to create together." — Jaime Alonso, Executive Director, GRID Alternatives Inland Empire.
About GRID Alternatives:
GRID Alternatives believes that a rapid, equitable transition to a world powered by renewable energy needs to benefit everyone. We are working across the United States and internationally to build community-powered solutions to advance economic and environmental justice through renewable energy.
About Solar Futures:
The Solar Futures program leverages GRID Alternatives’ hands-on solar installation model to educate and inspire the next generation of solar leaders. The program emphasizes supporting programming for high school students in California’s Inland Empire and San Joaquin Valley, combining classroom-based sessions with real-world experience installing solar for GRID Alternatives’ income-qualified clients.
About Sherman Indian High School:
Sherman Indian High School is an Off-Reservation Boarding school that opened its doors in 1892. It is operated by the Bureau of Indian Education/Bureau of Indian Affairs and the United States Government Department of the Interior. The school serves grades 9 through 12, and Native youth from every state have the opportunity to live and learn during the academic school year.
About Sherman Indian High School Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways program:
The Sherman Indian High School Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways program provides, promotes, and coordinates hands-on learning opportunities to ensure that all students will be prepared for life after high school, whether they decide to pursue post-secondary education or go directly into the workforce. Native students who graduate from Sherman have the opportunity to find successful careers, allowing them to help their Tribes and Reservations.
About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians:
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services, and promoting social, economic, and cultural development. As descendants of the indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains, and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region.
About San Manuel Cares:
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians channels the spirit of Yawa’ by directly supporting our Inland Empire community and Indian Country. The spirit of Yawa’ – to act on one’s beliefs – inspires us to embrace the value and worldview bestowed upon us through our Creator while inheriting responsibilities that preserve and protect San Manuel ancestral lands and their inhabitants.
Media Contacts:
GRID Alternatives Inland Empire:
Richard Lintin, Marketing and Communications Director
(951) 465-2868, rlintin@gridalternatives.org
Sherman Indian High School:
Crystal Whitley, Career Technical Education Manager
(909) 301-3104, cwhitley@rcoe.us