“Bobby!” “Bobby!” “Bobby!” A tent filled with the energetic chants of more than 40 high school students as SunPower Managing Director Bobby Ram made his way to the stage. Mr. Ram had spent the previous day installing solar alongside the students, and now he was preparing to address them.
“One of the things I get super excited about is the investments SunPower makes in education,” Mr. Ram told the crowd. “What I like the most about this program is that you’re taking STEM, everything you learn in the classroom and are able to get on the roof, or on the ground, and begin applying many of those lessons in real life and while doing so, understand the value proposition of career opportunities.”
Mr. Ram’s speech came at the end of the second day of an event in Moreno Valley, California, where GRID kicked off our Solar Futures initiative, a national partnership with SunPower that provides classroom and hands-on solar education to K-14 students, helping inspire and prepare them for careers in the growing solar industry. Over the course of two days, students from five local high schools learned to install SunPower panels on the roofs of four Habitat for Humanity homes, and like the solar panels, the kids were gleaming when the work was done.
“It’s awesome to be out here. I want to major in electrical engineering and hopefully get a job with SunPower and design solar panels,” said David Pinera a student at Kaiser High School.
This inland region of California has faced many challenges in recent years, among them the economic downturn, a lack of job opportunities, and environmental pollution. Despite these hardships, the sun-drenched “Inland Empire” is home to a booming solar industry, which brings with it a host of well-paid jobs.
“A lot of the students are looking forward to putting the newfound knowledge and skills to use when they graduate, and now have the experience on their resumes while looking for jobs or applying for college,” said Laura Gallardo, coordinator of the CORE Academy at Arroyo Valley High School in San Bernardino, one of the participating schools.
Take Rashah Freeman, a senior at Desert Hot Springs High School Renewable Energy Academy of Learning (REAL), which has been working with GRID Alternatives Inland Empire for two years.
“The Solar Futures program has helped me a lot. Although I am only 17 years old, I have forty or more hours of installation time. GRID Alternatives has helped me in every way possible. I dream to one day work in the solar industry to have my own home with solar panels on my roof.”
The two-day Solar Futures event, which included a solar career panel, was focused on exposing young adults like Mr. Freeman to solar career options as they prepare to graduate from high school and start a new chapter.
Participating schools included Arroyo Valley High School’s CORE Academy (Cultivating Organic Recycling Environmentalists), Norte Vista High School’s Green Construction Academy, Desert Hot Springs High School’s REAL academy, Kaiser High School, and Canyon Springs High School. For some of the schools, the event was paired with a 5-week classroom curriculum taught by GRID’s Inland Empire staff.
In addition to the training the event provided for students, the solar installations will also make a big difference for the families who are getting ready to move into these homes. One homeowner, Sheena Hidey, spent much of the day at the site, getting up on the roof to learn how the solar panels work and to help install them.
Sheena took a courageous leap five years ago when she left Colorado and an abusive relationship and headed to California with her four children. After three years of living in a domestic violence shelter, she is ecstatic to be able to move into a home of her own. “I hope we get to move in by the holidays, I’m so excited to put up Christmas lights.”
“At SunPower, we are all about ‘changing the way our world is powered’” said Mr. Ram. “Today, these amazing high school students are helping us do just that. How cool is that!”
A huge thanks to SunPower for their long-time commitment to GRID Alternatives and all of our staff, students and homeowners that made this day one to remember. Check out photos from the day here and stay tuned for more information on the Solar Futures initiative!