My principal and I stared up at the sun glistening off my newly installed solar panels. Never in my life had I felt so accomplished.
I had always dreamt of creating a project that went beyond the realm of high school. I wanted to do something that wouldn’t be scored or graded; something that I could do to make a difference. In the Fall of my Junior year, I finally had the opportunity.
My AP Biology teacher obtained a grant from BP solar for $5,000. He asked me and a few other select students if they would be interested in using the funding for alternative energy research. The other students shrugged. My eyes lit up as my teacher turned to me, acknowledging my interest. The project I longed to carry out was finally within my reach. With rising gas and electricity prices, a falling economy, and nobody taking action, I needed to do something, and fast. Solar technology was the answer.
I couldn’t think of a better way to help solve a crisis than to set a good example. From my experience in school, I knew that the best lessons are taught by showing, not by telling. By installing solar panels on my school, I could prove to the community that I could do my part to save the environment, get money for the school, and enrich our science curriculum all at the same time.
I quickly learned why other students had not pursued a project like this before. The research was extensive. Technical support was not very helpful, companies were near impossible to contact, and I had to use all of the resources that I had available to expand my knowledge of solar technology. I finally found a solar panel system that would work, but I knew that the hardest part was not over.
I still needed the approval from my principal, and the school district to install the system. Luckily, both my principal, and Orange Unified School District were ecstatic about my project, and due to its size were able to approve the installation immediately.
Finding a company to install my panels was a major problem. I had the funding to pay for the installation, but every company that I called did not see the benefit of installing such a small system. “We admire your desire to research alternative energy, but installing such a small system is not of value to us,” was the most common response from the companies. Advanced Solar Electric, however, saw my passion and knew that great things would come as a result of this project, so they installed the solar panels free of charge, and hired me as an intern for their company.
Upon later speaking with the principal, it became apparent that I had done more than just install solar panels. I had created an awareness with everyone who was involved in my project that alternative energy is viable in a public school setting. Hopefully, my project will become the gateway in which future projects of its kind will be molded.
I brought my gaze back down from the panels, and focused back on my principal. “Without you this project never would have happened,” he said. I smiled, “I’m glad that I was able to make a difference in our school. Now what’s next?” I walked away pondering the use of the next $5,000 grant.
