Foundation For Environmental Education

SOLAR SCHOOLS-DONATE SOLAR ELECTRICITY SYSTEMS TO SCHOOLS FOR USE AS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS. THE SOLAR ELECTRICITY SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED IN HIGH PROFILE LOCATIONS AT EACH SCHOOL WITH HIGH VISIBILITY AND INSTALLED BY CERTIFIED SOLAR INSTALLERS AND CERTIFIED ELECTRICIANS. SOLAR DATA IS COLLECTED AT EACH SCHOOL FOR USE FOR ALL OF THE SCHOOLS AS TEACHING TOOLS. WE DONATE DATA COLLECTION SYSTEMS FOR USE IN CLASSROOMS AND PROVIDE HELP WITH MAINTAINING THE PV SYSTEMS AT EACH SCHOOL. WE PROVIDE TEACHER TRAINING TO SCHOOLS WITHOUT CHARGE OR COST TO DISTRICTS, SCHOOLS, OR TEACHERS. MOST OF OUR CURRENT WORK IS IN ILLINOIS BUT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING IN OHIO, KENTUCKY, WASHINGTON DC, CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, WASHINGTON (STATE), PENNSYLVANIA, INDIANA, IOWA, MICHIGAN, NEW MEXICO, LOUISIANA, MAINE AND FLORIDA.

WE ASSIST SCHOOLS (PRIMARILY IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS) TO GET SOLAR ELECTRICITY SYSTEMS ON THEIR SCHOOL BUILDINGS. THESE SYSTEMS ARE TIED TO THE US POWER GRID AND THAT REQUIRES AGREEMENTS BE REACHED WITH LOCAL ELECTRICITY PROVIDERS LIKE COMED AND AMERON, THE TWO PRIMARY UTILITIES IN ILLINOIS. THESE SYSTEMS PROVIDE PUBLIC DATA SHOWING HOW MUCH SOLAR ELECTRICITY IS BENING GENERATED BY THEIR SYSTEMS. THAT DATA APPEARS ONLINE ON THE WEBSITE WWW.ILLINOISSOLARSCHOOLS.ORG. WE TRAVEL TO EACH SCHOOL THROUGHOUT ILLINOIS TO MAINTAIN THEIR SYSTEMS/TO KEEP THEM OPERATING AND TO HELP THEM SITE THEIR SYSTEMS WHEN THEY ARE ORIGINALLY INSTALLED. WE DO NOT ACTUALLY HANDLE THEIR GRAND FUNDS. EACH SCHOOL MUST APPLY FOR THE GRANT FUNDS AND HIRE THEIR OWN CONTRACTORS SO THEY LEARN HO TO BUY RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS. WE HAVE AN INTERNET CONTRACTOR USING A 1099 SYSTEM AND THAT COMPANY MAINTAINS THE WEBSITE AND ADDS NOTICES ABOUT WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. WE ALSO DO HIRE CONTRACTORS TO FIX BROKEN SYSTEMS IF, OR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A LIGHTNING STRIKE THAT DESTROYED THE ELECTRICAL ON A SYSTEM AT NORTH CLAY HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS. BUT, IF THE SYSTEM JUST NEEDS RESETTING OR RESTARTING OR IF MINOR PARTS NEED REPLACING, THEN WE HANDLE THOSE ACTIVITIES FOR THE SCHOOLS. AND WE DO NOT CHARGE THE SCHOOLS FOR ANYTHING THAT WE DO.

WE CONDUCT TEACHER TRAINING WORKSHOPS ALL OVER ILLINOIS INCLUDING THE CHICAGO AREA, PEORIA AREA, AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF ILLINOIS CENTERED IN CARBONDALE. THESE TRAININGS ARE COMPLETELY FREE AND THE TEACHES RECEIVE CLASSROOM MATERIALS FOR FREE AND WE PAY FOR FOOD AND PARKING AND SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS SO THAT THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS WILL RELEASE THEM TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS. IN SOME CASES, WE ALSO PAY FOR MILEAGE FOR THE TEACHERS IF THEY ARE DRIVING A LONG DISTANCE. EVALUATIONS WERE VERY HIGHLY RATED AGAIN IN 2019 AND ALL OF THE WORKSHOPS OPERATED AT CAPACITY. WE HIRE A NEED.ORG CERTIFIED TEACHER AND THE WORKSHOP ARE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE TESTING REQUIREMENTS. THE TEACHES ALL RECEIVE TEACHER APPROVED CREDITS FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO HELP STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY. HOPEFULLY WE HELP STUDENTS GET THEIR JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN FIELDS THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CONSIDERED PREVIOUSLY AND TO IMPROVE THEIR SCIENCE AND MATH SKILLS.

WE ARE WORKING WITH ANOTHER 501(C)(3). STREETLIGHT GUILD THAT PROMOTES ARTISTS WEH ARE BLACK INCLUDING PAINTERS, MUSICIANS, POETS, ETC. WE PROVIDED THAT NON-PROFIT THE FUNDS TO CREATE A CENTER ON EAST MAIN STREET IN COLUMBUS, OHIO AS PART OF OUR WILSON AVENUE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT. AEP AND COLUMBIA GAS WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT. THE OTHER NON-PROFIT IS REPAYING THOSE FUNDS MONTHLY AND THEN A BALLOON PAYMENT IN 50 MONTHS.