Youth

Solar Futures students have the opportunity to get real-world solar installation experience with GRID.

Spread awareness about solar energy and energy access during Solar Education Week, April 15-21, 2018, by hosting or attending an event inf your community!

April is national volunteer month and GRID Inland Empire kicked it off early with a Volunteer Appreciation event on March 8.

My name is Jisela Herrera and I am a fourth-year student at the University of California, Riverside. Science has always been a passion of mine and more specifically, environmental science. I knew I wanted to intern at an organization where I could make a positive impact in people’s lives and the future of our planet. As someone who is deeply passionate about social justice and environmentalism, I found GRID Alternatives to be the perfect internship for me as it has given me the opportunity to contribute to the environment and society in a much broader spectrum. The first thing that attracted me to GRID Alternatives was their mission statement. GRID Alternatives installs solar systems at no cost to low-income homeowners and I knew from the start that I wanted to partner up with an organization with integrity, which I found here at GRID.

GRID Alternatives provides career exploration and solar education to K-14 students through its Solar Futures program. The curriculum provided through Solar Futures inspires young students to become the next generation of solar leaders. It also offers the opportunity to get hands-on experience in a field that is growing by 20 percent each year. Over 600 students have already been trained through this program, and approximately 65 solar projects have been built for Inland Empire’s disadvantaged communities as a result of these students efforts.

"It's so cool to be able to do this," offers Hai, one of the young men sitting in the classroom. Hai wanted to be work in engineering many years ago, and now, he says, "The future is [looking] bright."

Find out the tools that helped former GRID construction volunteer Rashah Freeman to achieve success in the solar industry.

Claire and Glaire Antonio, fraternal twin sisters from Lindsay, California, have spent the last four years honing the skill sets that will prepare them for life beyond graduation, including skills learned through solar!

High school, a time of growing, learning and answering the question “What are you going to do with the rest of your life?” One student in Fresno is already well on his way towards a future career in solar.

By the age of 16, Miguel Rodarte was already well on his way to pursuing his dream of a career in the solar industry.