Inovateus has a strong commitment to community outreach and educating our neighbors about the rapidly growing world of solar, especially young people. I recently accompanied my colleague Tim Powers to Greene Intermediate Center in South Bend, where he gave an introductory presentation about solar energy to a group of eighth-graders about solar energy. The timing was great since these students had been learning about different sources of energy in the classroom and working on developing a project with solar cookers.
The students were given several opportunities to directly engage with technology powered by solar energy. Thankfully, the day was clear and sunny, providing perfect conditions to demonstrate how one of our solar backpacks can charge a phone or other device on the go. We also brought along a Goal Zero charging unit and a couple of solar panels to give them a close look at the process of converting solar to energy, at least on a small scale.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to give kids the chance to make real connections to the concepts they are taught every day in the classroom or at home. If you take a look at the accompanying photos, you’ll notice many smiling faces on the students as they actively participate. By contrast, during the earlier visual presentation, some of the kids were listening attentively while others struggled to remain interested.
In January, we visited a group of fifth-graders who were part of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) outreach program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense called STARBASE, located at the National Guard Armory in South Bend. STARBASE works with students from various schools who spend approximately 25 hours on STEM curriculum (typically one day a week for five weeks) and explore various topics, such as building and launching water rockets, constructing molecule models, and programming Lego robots. Tim spoke to the students about sustainability and solar panels, sharing insights about Inovateus jobs, what our employees do, and how they use STEM in their careers.
Through these types of presentations, students get a real look into how STEM plays an important role in the workforce and in everyday life. Previously, Tim taught environmental education for a semester at the local Montessori Academy (which has recently installed solar!) and found again that kids do tend to learn about these things better when offered hands-on opportunities. For instance, we have mini solar cars that race around when they’re hit by sunlight, which are a big hit with students.
Education often results in a combination of inspiration, growth, and even comedy. When we encounter a student body with pre-existing knowledge about renewables, this makes it all the more worthwhile to further expand their understanding of our industry. Tim recently spoke to the fifth-graders at Saint Anthony Padua school last spring about sustainability and the solar panels they have on their gym. One especially enthusiastic student commented about how those panels powered 40% of the United States. This sort of excitement we see from students is what makes these educational events so rewarding.
We’re very encouraged to see students of all ages showing interest in clean energy and an eagerness to share their knowledge. The possibilities are infinite, one day some of these students may contribute to building a brilliant tomorrow as Inovateus employees.
By Heather Dixon, marketing coordinator, Inovateus Solar
