WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla High School’s new Science Building will generate its own clean, renewable power thanks to a $100,000 funding award from Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program participants. The grant will support the installation of solar panels at the facility slated to break ground this fall thanks to last November’s voter-approved replacement bond measure. The approximately 50kW array will defer about 5% of the annual power consumption used by the entire Walla Walla High School campus. The system will also offset approximately 33.9 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. This is equivalent to 3,819 gallons of gas or 78.6 barrels of oil consumed or 4.3 million cell phones charged per year.
“By generating our own electricity, we’ll save on energy costs allowing us to dedicate more of the school district’s budget to our core vision of Developing Washington’s Most Sought-After Graduates,” said Superintendent Dr. Wade Smith. “This solar project is not only a win for the environment but will also provide an interactive learning tool for our environmental science classes and students interested in renewable energy careers.”
Walla Walla Public Schools joins more than 120 organizations across Pacific Power’s service area that, since 2006, have received awards for community-based renewable projects, including solar, wind, geothermal and other forms of renewable energy. This project is one of a dozen selected this year through a competitive evaluation process.
Blue Sky is an opt-in program that gives Pacific Power customers an option to match all or part of their energy use with renewable energy -- reducing their carbon footprints and driving demand for new renewable energy in the West. Through the Blue Sky Block option, participants also support qualifying, renewable energy projects for community-serving organizations such as schools, community centers and arts organizations.
“For 20 years, the Blue Sky program has offered Pacific Power customers a simple and powerful way to live their values, reduce their carbon footprint and support renewable energy,” said Bill Clemens, Regional Business Manager at Pacific Power. “Unlike most green power programs, Blue Sky goes beyond the purchase of renewable energy credits to help fund additional smaller energy projects for organizations in our communities. Through projects such as this, Blue Sky participants are powering a better future for local communities.”
For additional information about the Walla Walla Public Schools bond program visit: https://www.wwps.org/bond
To learn more about the Blue Sky program, visit: pacificpower.net/blueskyfunds
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Supporting documents are available via the following link: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicHome.aspx?ak=1001835
WALLA WALLA - Green Park, Sharpstein, Edison and Blue Ridge Elementary Schools received funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for the 2019-2020 school year. This program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Funds are allocated to eligible elementary schools based on their free and reduced-price meal percentage. Funding allows schools to offer a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables to students throughout the school year.
“The FFVP program has been successful in introducing elementary school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample,” said Walla Walla Public Schools Director of Nutrition Services Pamela Milleson. “Goals of the program are to include new and different varieties, increase overall acceptance and consumption of fresh, unprocessed produce among children, and provide nutritional facts and information.”
A total of 65 Local Education Agencies and 190 schools have been funded to participate in the FFVP. Walla Walla Public Schools will receive a total of $92,000 for the four schools. WWPS Nutrition Services staff will receive annual training for the program. Students will get fruits or vegetables 3-5 days a week, outside of the school breakfast and lunch program. Options will include dragon fruit, eggplant, kumquats, kale, plantains, spinach, and rampbutan.
WWPS Nutrition Services has also developed Fruits and Vegetables Fun Facts sheets to help teachers talk about the produce being served in the classrooms.
The fact sheets are posted online:
Program Contacts:
Pamela Milleson, WWPS Director of Nutrition Services
(509) 526-1870
Rachel Floyd
(360) 742-4155
achel.floyd@k12.wa.us">Rachel.floyd@k12.wa.us
National School Lunch Programs Lead and Child Nutrition Services
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
600 Washington St. SE | Olympia, WA 98504-7200
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