No. 16 Vol. 1
www.mypaperonline.com
January 2018
WOHS Students Construct Liter Of Light Solar Lanterns
F
By Lisa McNamara lip a switch, a light goes on, but not in all reaches of the world. Students at West Orange High School and Liter of Light worked together in December to build solar lanterns that will bring much-needed light to poor people. On December 10, students, teachers, and community members gathered at WOHS for the final stop of the “Journey of Light” tour in conjunction with Liter of Light, an organization that promotes the innovative concept of reusing plastic bottles to provide an environmentally-friendly light source for people in developing countries. “Journey of Light” conducted a month-long tour and visited thirteen states to teach students how to build solar lanterns. Illac Diaz, West Orange resident and founder of Liter of Light, was on hand to share his message and educate the participants as teachers facilitated the workshop. Students volunteered after school to create close to 150 circuits that were used to make the solar lanterns that will be donated and delivered to countries like Mexico, Philippines and the Dominican Republic. Ryan DelGuercio, technology supervisor at WOHS, says he is “always looking for stuff for our kids to do.” DelGuercio along with WOHS Principal Hayden Moore attended a street fair in West Orange about
two years ago and stopped at the booth for Liter of Light. DelGuercio had read about the project before the fair, but once they tried it at the booth, they just “ran with it.” DelGuercio reached out to Diaz and discussed how to link what students are learning in their Engineering and Design Solutions class to the global mission of Liter of Light. DelGuercio explains that the students in the class design an innovation that utilizes the solar circuit to perform some type of useful function, and then they choose an application that solves a real world problem.
This ignited the partnership between WOHS and led them to become one of the first schools involved with the project. DelGuercio is also looking into how students could “further produce these circuits to benefit the local community.” “Purpose really matters with students,” says Moore. This project provided a valuable opportunity to tie the educational concept with an humanitarian appeal, he adds and “wants our students to see beyond our walls, and this project made a clear connection.”
ROSELAND EYE CARE IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE...
BARTON PERREIRA EYEWEAR
75 Off
$
*
A Complete Pair of
RX Eyeglasses * Certain restrictions apply.
With this ad. Not valid with other discounts. Valid thru 3/15/18
178 Eagle Rock Ave. Roseland • (973) 228-2424
continued on page 2