Solar Prairie Crossing
Many people would agree that our schools tend to be the heart and soul of our communities. Parents and friends have a constant and lasting impact on the education of our children, but the schools are the true foundation for their upbringing. Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake, Illinois is no exception. Children go to school here to learn the obvious subjects such as math, science, and history; however they are also experiencing another type of education, of which, some may not be so obvious. Their school is part of the Illinois Solar Schools project.
A few key partners deserve recognition for their collaboration on this project. The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, headed by Bob Romo and Lisa Starks, Commonwealth Edison led by Paul Wallace and Janet Beniak, and finally, the Foundation for Environmental Education headed by Glen Kizer. The school applied for the grant it needed for the installation and was awarded the grant this past summer.
An array of solar panels on the roof of one of the school buildings in Prairie Crossing is a quiet reminder of the capabilities of alternative energy. While the installation is located on the rooftop, it is not hidden from people who are walking by. No explicit sign is needed to draw attention to it because the panel is placed so that it is easily visible to anyone driving by or walking around the school. The LaJeunesse family lives in the community and agrees that this solar installation will help to teach children and even adults about alternative energies.
Lauren and Carol LaJeunesse are pictured above.
Leon LaJeunesse, a contractor who pursues positive outcomes for the real estate community by using green/sustainable principles, commented that, “using solar technology allows us to honor the gift of heat and light that the sun provides for us. Solar panels visually as well as practically express the willingness to learn all we can about green/sustainable principles.â€
This solar panel is a simple aesthetic reminder that we are moving forward to more efficient and cleaner sources of energy, and it is only logical that a learning environment such as Prairie Crossing is the backdrop for such a project. This installation will be one of the many in Illinois serving to teach the general population that it is possible to conserve energy and experience economic advantages simultaneously. It is a lesson that everyone in Illinois should learn.
One of the short-term results of this project is that students and teachers have been able to bring this lesson into the classroom as part of their everyday education. The long-term goal is to spread the desire to have solar power in Illinois on business buildings, malls, and even homes. The solar project in Prairie Crossing will remain an educational tool for future generations who attend the school, and the lesson from it will carry on with the graduates. One day men and women who went to Prairie Crossing will be able to speak from firsthand knowledge that this type of energy can and does work, but today few people living in Illinois believe that it is possible to generate electricity from solar panels. Examples of installations on schools will help to increase public knowledge so that preconceived notions can be broken down. The Illinois Solar Schools project is helping to transform the way in which our population values its energy consumption.
Story submitted by Kathryn Kizer.