Taking Positive Steps Towards Climate Action

South Whidbey High School student Audrey Gmerek introduced Vice President Kamala Harris at a Seattle event for the Clean School Bus Rebate Program recipients

The South Whidbey School District (SWSD) on Whidbey Island is committed to taking positive steps towards climate action. Some of those steps include the installation of LED lights across the district, teaching students and staff about energy-saving behaviors, and applying for grants and rebate programs. Earlier this summer SWSD received a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to install solar panels at one of their school locations. And most recently the SWSD was awarded a rebate through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for an electric school bus. The SWSD is clearly a school community devoted to learning about and applying their learning in the areas of climate action and sustainability.

Clean School Bus Rebate Award

In October 2022, the district received a very exciting call from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) informing them that they were the recipients of the Clean School Bus Rebate program; they had literally won the electric school bus lottery. The Clean School Bus Rebates is a program that prioritizes low-income, rural, and tribal communities. The program offers rebates to replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission (ZE) models to reduce harmful emissions from older, dirtier buses. SWSD is one of five Washington schools selected to participate in the 2022 rebate program through a lottery system.

The road to the rebate reward began earlier in the year when Assistant Superintendent Dan Poolman applied to the program through the EPA. Some of the strongest voices of support for this action came from the United Student Leaders (USL) – a student group supporting climate action in the community. And although not a district sponsored club, all USL students are in the district and meet with school administration on monthly basis. A small group from the district were invited to attend a media event the very next day. The district quickly gathered up 16 students, parents, teachers, staff, superintendent, and assistant superintendent to attend a media event at Lumen Field in Seattle.

At Lumen Field, South Whidbey High School student and school board representative Audrey Gmerek was selected to introduce Vice President Kamala Harris and spoke on behalf of SWSD and USL. Audrey even met up with EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Vice President Harris backstage. The Vice President and Audrey spent some time talking and exchanged a big hug, complete with a selfie.

It was a big day for SWSD, and Superintendent Jo Moccia said, “I am so very proud of the South Whidbey students who spoke at the event and were interviewed by news correspondents including Jackson Murphy, Torrey Green, Kjersti Ringsrud, Audrey Gmerek, Lily Cerda, and Juniper Murray. Students also had the opportunity to meet Senator Patty Murray and Governor Inslee.”

The district still has some work to do before the electric school bus arrives. This year they will work to identify systems and staff and make some big decisions around developing the infrastructure, determining which electric bus company to choose and where to service it. SWSD hopes to replace an old bus and have the electric bus in place by next school year.

Going Solar

This summer, SWSD was awarded a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to install 100 kW of solar panels on the South Whidbey Elementary School.

The grant was presented to Superintendent Jo Moccia, who enthusiastically proclaimed, “Go for it at that max 100 kW level!” Community members, Dean Enell and Linda Irvine from the newly formed Langley Climate Crisis Action Committee (CCAC) pursued the grant opportunity.

Enell and Irvine teamed up with equally enthusiastic JJ Leuenberger (SWSD Facilities Director) to identify what turned out to be a ‘perfect roof’ with Southern exposure and well-suited slope. Bids were solicited and analyzed from four solar firms and the relevant data was incorporated into a grant application by Linda Irvine that was submitted to the Dept of Commerce by JJ Leuenberger.

This grant from the Department of Commerce covers up to $174,000 of the cost for a solar array system consisting of 263 panels and capable of 109,000 kw of electricity per year. More importantly, such a system is able to offset 130,556 pounds of CO2 annually which is equivalent to 6,528 gallons of gas or the yearly sequestration of 2,720 trees. According to Dean Enell, produced electricity will offset electrical expenses at the school and deliver a full payback in approximately eight years.

Staff will be able to use an online app in the classroom to share with students, which will open the door to critical thinking and discussions about renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and electricity generation. There is still a lot of work to do before construction will take place which is targeted for early summer of 2023. The district considers this project as not only beneficial to reducing our carbon footprint, but also a tool they can use in the classroom as well.

What made South Whidbey a good candidate for the grant and rebate programs?

Dan Poolman, Assistant Superintendent said, “The EPA prioritized the rural districts. It was a requirement that the district have an older diesel bus that would be replaced.” And SWSD fit the bill! In an interview, district spokesperson Kristina Macarro said, “The district is isolated, living on an island involves a lot of logistics by nature, but try living on an island and being climate conscious for an extra layer of complexity. For example, the district is limited compared to districts on the mainland when it comes to recycling paper and cardboard. SWSD has no pickup for glass, cans, plastic. We also have older buildings, so we are really trying to make changes to do better with heating and updating systems. Transportation is also an issue. Since the beginning of COVID, we’ve been down to one ferry so often. And although only a handful of staff and students ride the ferry, we do have a bus full of students who go to SnoIsle in Mukilteo every day. If they can’t make the ferry, it’s 100 miles to drive around to the north side of the island over Deception Pass Bridge to get home.”

Rendered drawing of solar panels.