The Monarch K-8 school in Louisville will turn on a new solar power system Wednesday, propelled largely by the efforts of eighth-graders whose annual school energy audits spurred interest in seeking a grant for the technology.
The Center for Resource Conservation in Boulder County has awarded five other 10-kilowatt systems since 2009 — most recently at Louisville’s Fireside Elementary.
Eighth-grade earth science teacher Brian Slobe put together Monarch K-8’s grant with the help of teacher Madeleine Gilpin and parent volunteer Merle Brinkman.
A “solar curriculum council” of about 10 eighth-graders already has been integrating the new energy system into classrooms by helping students monitor and chart the daily sunlight that will produce the power.
The 10-kilowatt system is about three times the size of an average home system and will fill just a small percentage of the school’s energy needs.
“The power the school uses changes every month, so it’s hard to estimate what it’ll offset,” Slobe said of the system. “But we’re hoping that not only does it provide a renewable energy source, but once you install these things, you tend to be more aware of energy use, so that goes down as well.”
To be considered for the solar systems, schools submit applications telling how they’ll teach students and the community about renewable energy. The goal is to reach 200 community members and at least 20 percent of the student body with the curriculum.
Kathy Croasdale, the program coordinator for CRC, said Monarch already has sent her progress reports and appears to have exceeded expectations. Ultimately, the program aims for more than just school energy savings.
“It’s also to educate,” she said. “That’s what has the staying power.”
