DENVER — School is the last thing on most students' minds once summer vacation rolls around, but one group of high schoolers is spending their vacations getting the hands-on education they need to step into the solar industry.
Denver Public Schools said students' work at the district's Renewable Energy Academy this summer will help them consider solar energy careers in the growing industry.
"Sometimes I wish I didn't have to come in at 8 a.m. every day but it's not that bad," said soon-to-be East High School senior Sabin Eschenberg.
He and 37 other high schoolers from different DPS schools are spending June immersed in tech.
"We're learning about how to wire solar panels and how to be more sustainable and model businesses in a more sustainable way, that way we have less of an impact on the environment and the world," Eschenberg said.
"It's huge, actually," said Monica Schultz, a senior manager with Denver's Career and College Success Department.
From learning about solar panel installs, circuitry and green construction, Schultz said the four-week program helps students hone in on a more sustainable future.
"Students are experiencing a lot of climate anxiety, they don't know what their future is going to hold," Schultz said. "So this is an opportunity to be proactive and to really invest in their future in terms of the planet but also in terms of careers they might pursue to support the effort to save the Earth."
And Schultz said these students will leave the program with more than just new skills. "Yeah, yeah we do get a certificate. And we get a paycheck for doing this," Eschenberg said.
Plus, it's giving an extra boost to students toward a career in the solar industry.
"Absolutely. So that certificate will give them an opportunity to apply for entry level positions within the solar industry," Shultz said.
For Eschenberg, whether he sticks with solar or chooses a different career down the road, he said this program has him excited for his future.
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome," he said.
DPS partners with GRID Alternatives and the African American Trade Association to run the Renewable Energy Academy. The academy is funded through a grant from the city of Denver.
The Renewable Energy Academy is one of multiple internships students can enroll in throughout the district. DPS said the program spans 10 industry clusters with students placed in internships around the city. DPS reported they have a total of 300 interns currently, 80 of which are enrolled in academy programs.
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