Eager about what the day will bring, students from Ceres High School’s Manufacturing and Green Technology Academy strapped on their safety gear, ready to install solar in their hometown of Ceres. School officials and students filled the front yard of the home, as media captured the story of stewardship and volunteerism in the small town.

Getting out into the field with GRID Alternatives is always a highlight of the school week for students at Yosemite High School in Merced, but this week, it had extra meaning. Not only were the students working side-by-side with students from the Merced Adult School to install solar for a former Adult School classmate, but they also got a visit from State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson.

GRID Alternatives Central Valley is once again, the proud recipient of a Westamerica Bank grant of $1,000 dollars. Westamerica Bank is a longtime supporter of our Central Valley office.

As 2016 continues to unfold, GRID celebrates its new partnership with Parlier Unified School District. On a recent chilly February morning, fifteen high school students from agriculture classes at Parlier High School came out to learn how to install solar in Parlier, a small town of 15,000 residents.

On a brisk morning, Proteus students had the opportunity to work on a former Proteus student’s home in the small town of Lindsay.

There is nothing more challenging than juggling in the rain. However, the rain did not dent the spirit of 39 University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) students in the first week of January 2016 as they worked tirelessly in the rain installing two solar systems in Madera, California.

As the new year approaches, on behalf of everyone at GRID Alternatives Central Valley, we thank all who helped make 2015 a successful year. Our office has experienced enormous growth over the year, as we added 12 new members to help take on the new tasks, as we continue to expand our territory within the Central Valley.

As a job trainee through WESTCARE, Kenneth Mull was not sure what to expect when he was invited to attend a presentation for free training in solar installation. The presentation offered opportunities to gain employment in the solar industry through free hands on training. Deciding to give GRID Alternatives a chance, he soon found himself on a rooftop in the Central Valley installing his first solar system. Finding joy and passion in the work that he was doing, he quickly realized that he could make a career out of installing solar.

Born and raised in the Central Valley, Michael Sanchez has been striving to find a way to support his family. Enrolling in a photovoltaic class with Proteus Inc., a local job training organization, Michael stated, “I was headed down the wrong road and then found Proteus, which inspired me to switch gears and do better for myself. Mr. Rick Gonzalez’s passion for teaching about photovoltaics helped solidify my interest working within the solar industry.”

Born and raised in Madera, Alan Castillo learned about GRID through the job training organization, Proteus Inc. Eager to learn, Alan volunteered with his classmates during the summer of 2015.