The Solar Charging Station was a passion project that was started by a former Grand Junction High School student named Kaia Gehl.
The first Solar Charging Station was built in August, but the official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Sept. 6.
Two years into the planning GJHS junior Serenity Schmidt – a new face to this project – helped get the Solar Charging Station to completion. Through community sponsors, they had made enough money to make this project come to life.
Jodee Cronk is the French teacher and the teacher of the service learning advisory here at GJHS, where students do research and execute a sustainable project to help the community. Gehl was part of Cronk’s service learning advisory.
“I had done lots of research and I knew I wanted to do something in the environmental category,” said Gehl.
Gehl partnered up with an AP Environmental Science class to help her plan locations and designs for the SCS. She attended a meeting after school with business leaders and representatives from the district and the school who started the project. Since she was the only student to show for the meeting, she took this project as her own.
Cronk jumped into action to continue the project when Gehl graduated. She and GJHS assistant principal Heather O’Brien began to get sponsors for the project.
O’Brien helped with finalizing the location for the SCS. It wasn’t an easy job for her or Gehl. O’Brien helped with the scheduling for the D51 maintenance to build the battery boxes, so people wouldn’t steal them.
“Using solar panels to charge our electronics is both philosophically and environmentally responsible,” said O’Brien.
Many sponsors helped with this project: Alpine Bank, Capco (Global Business and technology consultancy), West Star (airframe repair and maintenance), Atlasta-Solar, D51 Foundations, and D51 Maintenance, all contributed, either by funding, or with their labor.
The first Charging Station is located at the South Lawn in between the buildings. It will be moved to the new school once it is fully built. The second Charging Station will be located at the new building as well, though the location is not established yet.
