Solar Spring Break

10 schools, 100 students and 1000s of dollars saved for low income families -- Solar Spring Break is officially on!

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.

Magnificent red sandstone bluffs dotted with juniper and pinon trees set against expansive blue sky to form a stunning backdrop for a recent solar PV install on Mary Benally’s home in the Mexican Water Chapter of the Navajo Nation in Southeastern Utah. The project was a result of a collaboration between DesignBuildBLUFF, GRID Alternatives’ Tribal Program and the Mexican Water Chapter House to bring clean renewable energy to the Benally family.

"Solar Spring Break with GRID Alternatives in the Central Coast has been the best week of my life so far!" That's from Abhishek Rao, a graduate student at Arizona State University, who volunteered with us through Solar Spring Break.

The following post is the first part in a series on UC Berkeley's Solar Spring Break with GRID Alternatives. These dedicated students raised money to fund their own volunteer installation experience with GRID, and spent the week learning to install solar and meeting industry leaders. Thanks to Angela Shen, our first guest blogger, for sharing a journal that she kept of her Solar Spring Break experience!

Native Americans, college students, spring break and GRID Alternatives.
Do these belong together? Yes!
Find out how, by clicking here!

When you think of college spring break, you may think of adventurous road trips with friends, parties by the beach, or just catching up on sleep from the previous week of late nights studying for midterms. Instead, a group of 13 students participating in the Alternative Spring Break program from California State University, Fresno partnered with GRID Alternatives to lend a helping hand installing solar panels for two individuals in Fresno’s downtown Lowell District. The Alternative Spring Break program gives opportunity for students to give back and empower local neighborhoods. Fresno State ASB students discussed their motivation to participate on the installs.

12 college students from University of Massachusetts Boston traded in their typical spring break in March for a week of solar installation training and photovoltaic systems teach-in with GRID Tri-State.