At a series of March workshops, students from several Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) campuses joined other students in building portable, photovoltaic lighting systems that will become a life-saving source of light for those in developing countries.
At Cosumnes River College on March 22 and 29, students assembled 35 of these portable, solar-powered "suitcases." The systems will be delivered by the Green Tech Solar Suitcase Project team to schools and medical clinics in Haiti and Uganda.
The goal of the workshops is to expand the construction of the small solar systems both as a green energy educational tool and as a much needed resource in developing countries. In 2013, the organization delivered 20 solar cases to various impoverished communities around the world.
Students from the following schools and programs participated in the March workshops:
- Capitol Christian High School (Sacramento)
- Folsom High School (Folsom Cordova U.S.D.)
- Gerber Jr./Sr. High School (SCOE)
- Hickey Jr./Sr. High School (SCOE)
- Laguna Creek High School (Elk Grove U.S.D.)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy (Twin Rivers U.S.D.)
- Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School (SCOE)
- Sacramento Charter High School (Sacramento City U.S.D.)
- Sacramento Job Corps
- Visions in Education K-12 Charter School (San Juan U.S.D.)
The workshops were sponsored by Cosumnes River College and the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE). Other Green Tech Solar Suitcase Project partners include Los Rios Community College District and We Care Solar.
Green Tech trains students and helps them develop "green collar" skills, including building design and construction trades, science, entrepreneurship, and engineering. These green skills—focused on clean energy, environmental protection, and energy efficiency—provide additional career opportunities for youth from traditionally underserved communities.