Los Angeles 6th Graders Awarded Solar Video Contest Prize
Media Contacts
Micheltorena Elementary Congratulated by LAUSD & CA Legislators
Environment California
Los Angeles – Before hundreds of excited elementary school students, Environment California presented Ms. Raquel Vargas’ 6th grade class at Micheltorena Elementary School with $750 in prize money for winning 2nd place in the Los Angeles Solar Video Contest. With their 2-minute ¡Go Solar! video, the class made an enthusiastic case for Los Angeles to embrace a bold solar vision, putting solar panels on schools, homes and structures such as the school’s own garden shed.
“Each time I watch this video, I am re-energized by the power of the sun and the power of these students,” said Michelle Kinman, clean energy advocate for Environment California. “This video can inspire Angelenos to make our city a world-class solar city, bringing cleaner air, reduced global warming pollution and local jobs.”
The students’ vision and hard work was recognized by Micheltorena’s Principal Susanna Furfari, LAUSD Board Member Bennett Kayser and California State Assemblymember Mike Gatto and Senator Curren D. Price, Jr., who represent the Silver Lake neighborhood where the school is located.
Assemblymember Gatto sent a representative to award the students with certificates, recognizing their accomplishment, and conveying “I am inspired by this group of young people, who through hard work and dedication to their studies, are helping to build a clean energy future.”
Senator Price also sent his congratulations to the students and the Micheltorena community.
The students collaborated with local filmmakers Charles Herman-Wurmfeld and Keith Fulton, who were on hand to celebrate with the class and encourage the students to research what it will take to put solar panels on Micheltorena’s school rooftop.
Environment California organized the video contest to inspire Angelenos to call for a strong solar goal for the city, known the world over for its sunshine. Specifically, Environment California is advocating for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to increase its local solar capacity to 1,200 megawatts, or approximately 20% of the city’s peak summertime energy needs, by 2020. This goal amounts to LADWP’s load-proportionate share of Governor Brown’s statewide goal for 12,000 megawatts of local clean power to be installed in California by 2020.
To watch the Micheltorena video and the other winning videos, and learn more about how you can get involved in our campaign to make Los Angeles a world-class solar city, please visit: www.environmentcalifornia.org.
