A Little Sunshine for NM Schools

Few things in my frenzied, busy life these days are as stable and reassuring as the sun shining. I grew up in the rural Southern New Mexico town of Deming, where the sun was pretty much always shining. Growing up in that rural setting was humbling - values included hard work, determination, patience and perseverance. It seemed most people were connected in some way to the agricultural industry, much of it green chile, a New Mexico staple. My mom was a worker in this industry, and she taught me the value of hard work. She served as my primary inspiration but I was also lucky enough to be inspired by teachers at Deming Public Schools. My teachers taught me to see the world beyond our city and state boundaries, and set high standards for myself.

Yesterday, I was inspired to see New Mexico's Governor Bill Richardson announce a statewide solar schools initiative. The impressive effort will invest $10 million of federal stimulus funds into the development of photovoltaic (PV) or solar electric systems in public schools through a competitive grant process. Funds will be used to purchase and install 100 kilowatt solar PV energy systems in up to 20 school districts in New Mexico. An educational component will also be included, which means the initiative not only helps schools save money on their electric bills and create green jobs in local communities, but the effort will also provide students with an opportunity to learn about renewable energy and perhaps be inspired to pursue careers in math, science or even renewable energy development.

This initiative is significant for New Mexicans because it's an opportunity to invest in local efforts to transition into a green economy. Benefits of this investment include not just savings in electricity costs, prevention of greenhouse gas emissions from coal-generated electricity, and creation of new jobs installing these PV systems, but the funding also includes an educational component. This element will provide long-term benefits for New Mexico as an investment that will inspire young minds to think about how science and renewable resources can be combined to provide economic opportunities.

I'm glad I took a few minutes yesterday to take note of this important announcement. It reminded me that even in trying economic times when school budgets hang in the balance, the difficult decisions made today by our elected officials will have a significant impact on the next generation. I applaud Governor Richardson and his staff for making such a wise decision with these critical funds. It's an investment in NM's education that will grow as surely as the sun shines in these parts.

The press release is available here: http://www.governor.state.nm.us/press/2009/sept/092309_01.pdf

The associated fact sheet is here: http://www.governor.state.nm.us/press/2009/sept/SolarSchoolsFactSheet.pdf

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