“Solarbration” Gives West Virginia Students hands-On Experience with Clean Energy

Last November, students at Calhoun County Schools in West Virginia got a special chance to learn about solar power and clean energy in general when a “Solarbration” was held on campus. 

This educational event was held at Calhoun County Middle/High School in Mt. Zion, WV to give students the opportunity to explore the photovoltaic technology behind solar power through hands-on activities presented by the National Energy Education Development Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to energy literacy. The program was offered at no additional cost as part of Secure Solar Futures agreement to help Calhoun County Schools go solar on campus. 

“This isn’t just about an event for middle school students,” said Mary Spruill, Executive Director of NEED. “It was a celebration of a small, rural, school district choosing solar and making sure to engage students in the process. It isn’t just a facilities and business experience – but one that encourages students to understand and learn about photovoltaics and energy resources.” 

A solar energy system with a capacity of 600 kilowatts is currently being completed at two campuses of Calhoun County Schools, Calhoun County Middle/High School and Pleasant Hill Elementary School. 

To add value to Calhoun’s new renewable energy infrastructure, the school district was awarded a Coalfield Solar Fund Workforce and Education Grant of $75,000 with support from global financial services firm Intuit. The Coalfield Solar Fund offers incentive grants for K-12 public schools and community colleges in coalfield areas of Virginia and West Virginia to go solar at no upfront cost and offer hands-on career training in solar power to their students. Funding helps streamline the process for an applicant’s campuses to go solar under a multi-year service agreement with Secure Solar Futures. 

So far, the CSF has awarded grants to three educational institutions, all located in federally designated coalfield communities, to develop solar power systems on campus and to start solar workforce development programs. Two of the institutions are located in Virginia, Lee County Schools and Mountain Empire Community College. The third grantee, Calhoun County Schools, is the first CSF awardee in the state of West Virginia. 

The CSF grant, coupled with educational support from NEED, promises to engage teachers and students at Calhoun County Schools in exploring energy, sustainability, financial literacy, and careers within the energy industry.     

“We are honored to be a partner in this Calhoun County Schools initiative,” said NEED’s Spruill. “This program brings together all that makes learning about energy fun: A solar installation, hands-on STEM activities in the classroom and in afterschool programs, teacher training and a curriculum that can engage and inspire tomorrow’s energy experts.”