Cochrane High School's environmental group has another big project on the way. Eight students on the school's Sustainable Development Committee are currently fundraising for 144 solar panels to be mounted on their school gymnasium roof. The project is tagged at $125,000. "They'll be raising the most money that we've ever had to raise in a school year," said Stephanie Bennett, a teacher at Cochrane High who oversees the committee. The committee, founded in 2004 and run by students, has been responsible for a number of projects in the school over the years. The projects range from on-site community gardens, low-flush toilets, motion and light sensors, LED lights inside and outside of the school, a wind turbine and various other environmental initiatives. The committee also installed 30 solar panels on the gym roof several years ago. "These guys are just going to go the distance. They're trying to completely cover a large space up on the roof with zero shadow exposure," Bennett said. The new panels are expected to generate 56,200 kWh of power and save $2,300 during the first year of operation – $2,300 for the first year for the cost of electricity (not including costs of transmitting, distributing, GST or administration). Julia Price, a Grade 12 student on the committee who spearheaded the project, said her passion for developing environmental projects has grown since joining the group when she was in Grade 9. "We had been working on a few projects in Grade 9 and 10 that didn't necessarily work out but I learned so much from them and really gained a passion for sustainability through those projects," Price said. Since joining, Price has also had the opportunity to learn about renewable technologies in Nicaragua. "We were volunteering and there were just simple projects like turning recyclable materials into artwork or creating a sink out of recyclable bottles where the water was recycled to water food sources and that kind of thing," Price said. So far, the committee had raised more than $31,000 since January and it hopes to complete fundraising by May. "We have been going to businesses and applying for grants and such," said Brady Church, a Grade 12 student on the committee. Church broke down the cost, explaining that $80,000 will go towards the project itself including permits, labour, material, and other items. Then, because the panels will outlive the life of the roof, $25,000 will be set aside for re-roofing the gymnasium. Another $20,000 contingency fund will be set aside for any future maintenance. The committee will not proceed with the project until the full amount has been fundraised. Committee member Chelsea Luft, said they've launched an adopt a panel campaign. "For $300 an individual or group can adopt a panel, which will be one of the 144 that we put on the roof," Luft said. If anyone is interested in donating funds for the initiative or to adopt a panel, contact Stephanie Bennett at [email protected]
