Energizing Youth in the Inland Empire

For many kids across the Inland Empire, summer vacation is finally here! Tests, reading assignments, and district assessments are over and happy days reign again. For 32 at-risk high school students in Arroyo Valley High School's Cultivating Organic Recycling Environmentalists (CORE) Academy in San Bernardino, this summer is enhanced by their increased awareness about solar energy and how it can help them not only in summer’s hottest days, but in their future careers.

GRID Alternatives Inland Empire (GRID IE) piloted it’s very first Solar, Energy, and Outreach Training (SEaOT) Program with Arroyo Valley High School this Spring. Students learned about the inner workings of solar through interactive in-class trainings as well as helped to install four different solar electric systems in the community. The innovative SEaOT Program is designed to provides students, ages 16-24, real-world job skills through hands-on and work-based learning opportunities in solar while exposing them to solar career options and increasing their energy and environmental knowledge. The students conducted actual solar outreach and education campaigns and completed solar installation projects for their low-income community members.

“I think the kids really enjoyed it. They now know all the intricacies of solar design and how solar energy impacts the homeowner and their budget,” said Laura Gallardo, CORE Academy coordinator and one of the main proponents of Inland Empire youth joining the growing solar industry. She knows the importance of solar for the future and has seen a growing desire for solar energy in her students too. “A lot of them are looking forward to putting the newfound knowledge and skills to use next year, when they graduate and have the experience on their resumes while looking for jobs or applying for college.”

GRID IE is looking for other school partners for our SEaOT Program. For more information, contact Cindy Corrales, Workforce Development & Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteerie@gridalternatives.org or 951-471-7043.

By: Darren Bueno, Development Intern