Provided by the Bristol Township School District:
When Science Teacher Lars McGee arrived at Harry S. Truman High School in 2006, one of his first projects was to establish a club for students that promoted environmental stewardship and created opportunities for them to spend time in the great outdoors. More than a decade later, the club has moved from hosting school-wide paper recycling programs to seeing one of its most ambitious projects through to fruition: the purchase and installation of solar panels in the high school.
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In early November, with solar panels and permits from Bristol Township in hand, the club was ready to start the installation. The project got off the ground in 2008 and was proposed by students who wanted to raise awareness among members of the community about the value of clean energy and its role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal powered electricity generation.
To fund the purchase of the panels, one of the group’s first fundraisers was the Levittown Lake Polar Plunge. Students donated money to see their teachers jump into an ice cold lake in late February. The event raised $700.
The club was never at a loss for interesting fundraising projects. Members sold sunflowers that were grown in their greenhouse, handmade chocolate candies, and environmentally friendly products. They also collected donations at community recycling events.
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By the fall of 2014, the club had raised several thousand dollars and was ready for the next phase. Member Colin Bagley contacted Exact Solar, a local solar installation company, and invited the company’s owner to speak with the club about what it would take to get solar panels at the high school. Mark Bortman was enthusiastic about the project and made the club an offer it couldn’t refuse: his company would donate the labor if the club could raise at least $6,000 dollars for the panels and parts.
The club rose to the challenge and by the spring of 2016, it had $7,000 in its coffers and Bortman agreed to help the club move forward with the installation.
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The project was approved by the school board during the summer and the panels were installed during the first week of November.
McGee said, “We hope that this is just the beginning of an initiative to switch over to clean energy and promote more energy conservation in Bristol Township, both of which will save our school district money in the long-run. The 15 panels that were just installed are expected to reduce the school’s utility bill by approximately $60 to $100 per month.”
Bagley said, “Students and teachers and people inside of Levittown are shocked that we were able to reach our goal. They are all very impressed with the group and have encourage us to keep bettering our school community.”
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There is room to install more panels. Anyone who would like to help out can follow the Truman Environmental Club on Facebook and email Lars McGee at lars.mcgee@bristoltwpsd.org to get on the mailing list.
“The Environmental Club and my fellow-advisor Karen Privitello are grateful to Bristol Township School District administrators and Mark Bortman of Exact Solar whose advice and thousands of dollars of free labor helped to make this project possible,” added McGee.
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The Environmental Club has had a significant impact on the community. In addition to promoting solar energy awareness, the club’s school-wide paper recycling program helped launch a district-wide program. The community is cleaner and greener due to the group’s work with the Greenbelt Overhaul Alliance of Levittown, which sponsors tree plantings and clean-up programs and the club’s collaborative relationship with Bucks County Recycling Commission makes the household hazardous waste and/or electronic waste collection possible. Members are currently working on the “Survive 65” campaign, an effort to promote turning down thermostats to 65 degrees in order to conserve energy.
