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â€"_â€".â€"â€"â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€" “mm-MM! “DUO. O O O O I WCI students leaving a legacy of sustainability behind for future students human-1mm ' Special to theChnmicle n the pursuit of harnessing the sun's chem. a group of Water- loo Collegiate Institute stu- dents are leaving behind a legacy of ambition. dedication and solar panels for future classes to look up to for inspiration. During March Break. 13 solar panels were placed on the side of the admit gym in a flower design by a group of students called the Solar Panel Operations Team ,. ,, p; . (SPOT). with help from a youth-led community organization called ," Reduoe'l'he luioe. 4 ‘We have always wanted solar 4 panels.‘ fifth~year student and SP0]~ leader lulie Van de Vailt said. - “Who doesn't want solar panels on their school?” The group of environmentally conscious students kicked off the project four years ago and has since learned first-hand what pmj- . v;â€" ectmanagement isabout. “ _ 3; P t. “It's been a really good experi- ,~’7§"‘%A ' $1? \ ence" said Van de Valk. "I've . b if" 3? Q? Fisk learned to balance patience and to, té _ ,-' (if ;/ persistence in sending emails and “ ;' {fife f having meetings with adults from a . ~ -‘ 1“ whole variety or different jobs. like ' is m. ” . » ‘. consulting companies. to the j . , 5 school board to teachers here,“ ‘ WC! Princpial lenhifer Short- ‘ J 4" reed said the project was all about A "g": ‘ ' student engagement. ' ”a“ , And student buy-in was strong. From left: WCI Principal miter Shortreed. Reduce The lulu director, Sara Wicks and W0 SPOT leader. Julie Van de Vallt stand in from of the 18 solar “The philosophy of the school panels adorning the wall in a flower design at WCl. While visually interesting, the project also generates kWh of power. ~ mum-um board on this (project) is it has a level of student involvement right knowledge of solar panels, her projects similar totheoneatWCl. Wicks power design has limited the pan- from lht‘ funding through to the curiosity and desire to learn pro~ "The model we work off of is The unique Muddy! was a els' energy generation to only 4 ‘ actual solar panels going on the polled her forward throughout the working with the youth in the happyaccident. kWh. but the panels' prominent wall and starting to work and teed four-yearprocess. school to do some son of smiled." Designers were unable to position promoted a difierent type into the grid.“ she said. “There was always the question. Wicks said. “We've done lots of mount the solar panels onto the of power. “You would think the principal which i got a lot of help mm? projects based on technology in root in a more eflicient position so “it's ptettyanpowetingto know would iilll‘llll meetings where she's but what do wedo next. where 0 theml‘drinstantza 1912Model cameupwiththecreativeaolutbn asstudentathatwecanworkona l sitting mm hoard staff working out we go from here.“ she said. T Ford delivery truck that a teen of mounting on a sun-facing wall. project lie this and see acme! tan- 1 how and when, what they will look ller answers would often come made here (WC!) from scratch and encouraging students at the gible results.“ said Van de Valk. ‘ like. the t‘lt‘(l[lfl('2illlin and the from the director of Reduce’nie ‘lthassolarpanelaontnpofit sclnoltoeomeupwiththededgn. ‘(Wellmowtlmustudentaeome 1 rnonltoring and all those things â€" luice. Sara Wicks. whose organiza- and it ranollofrenewahle energy.’ What they ended up with was a through the building for the next ; no. lulie m-nt " tion has helped bring environmen- State Farm insurance granted testament to the power of creativi- while. theywill be able to see merit ' Though \.m or talk began the tal awareness to Waterloo Region roughly $55,000 to Reduce The ty. and say. ‘Hey. that's probably from ‘ project Vt Illlillll any previous through awareness campaigns and luice for the proiect. according to Van de Valk said the flower smdents,’ and'Whateanldof' ' ‘ A Q fl : Ben|am|n Moore style, at an mm gwluyg e - \_, 7 /’ , \_/ 1- atlracttve price... I n 1 “i x a . r ..s_t O t N t . ',- “1 '_*“>“’,‘ - - ' ‘ ' ~ ~ mums ! E w Jâ€" I I I , , » ,, ‘T t fly ‘r‘w-Lj " r ‘ t - r . f facehookcom lEK‘f‘lSthi'rlll