Schools 'hit the jackpot' with alternative energy

The first school district to be recognized by the state of Michigan as a "green" district is now the latest to benefit from an alternative energy grant through the Michigan Public Service Commission.

The district received in December the first of three shipments of alternative energy equipment that will be used in the near future by all five of Livingston County main public school districts.

The $125,000 grant awarded to the Livingston Educational Service Agency provides three operational wind turbines, a solar array, biodiesel processor, diesel engine, pellet converter and furnace and a fully operational weather station — all housed at Hartland High School.

"The whole purpose of this grant is to provide avenues for students in high school to get into high-wage, high-demand occupations," said Tim Jackson, director of career and technical education for LESA. "We've had three or four attempts to get something like this," Jackson said, "but this time, we finally hit the jackpot."

LESA was one of 12 regional intermediate school districts to receive an equal portion of a larger $1.5 million grant in September from the commission. Later that month, superintendents from the five public school districts decided the Hartland school system would be the best host for the technology, given that the district itself had already expressed interest in the project by applying for the same grant LESA later received.

Though the technology rests on Hartland's soil, the agreement states all districts in Livingston County will have access to it.

Hartland Consolidated Schools will have first dibs on the technology. The district has already designed an alternative energy course for next school year as part of its career tech program.

"We're very excited about this, our staff has been very involved all along in wanting to continuously expand on energy issues and programs and all its opportunities," said Hartland Consolidated Schools Superintendent Janet Sifferman. "This is a positive thing for Hartland, and we feel a positive thing for the whole community."

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Source: LivingstonDaily.com (Daily Press & Argus) 12.28.09