Posted in Florida Politics
Title: Florida emerges as national leader in solar energy workforce development
Author: Peter Schorsch
FSEC director, James Fenton, comments on the Florida Solar Apprenticeship Program and the successful energy workforce development in the state of Florida.
By Janet McIlvaine and Sherri Shields.
As the nation pays tribute to the late and former President Jimmy Carter, FSEC remembers him especially for his advocacy for energy efficiency and affordable housing. From establishing the U.S. Department of Energy, and installing the first solar panels on the White House, to building houses with Habitat for Humanity, President Carter’s solar and humanitarian legacy lives on.
The hand prints of Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter are on Habitat for Humanity homes around the world. They were there, diligently working alongside 104,000 volunteers to build 4,390 homes in 14 countries during their more than 35-year partnership with Habitat for Humanity International.
While this year also marks the Florida Solar Energy Center’s 50th anniversary, we reflect on FSEC’s contributions. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program, FSEC focused on making “affordable housing” truly more affordable by incorporating energy-efficiency in the design process.
FSEC provided technical assistance, energy design, volunteer training, and on-site implementation leadership at six Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Projects from 1997-2007, resulting in 236 high-performance and ENERGY STAR®-certified homes in Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, New York, California, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas. Read more
Each year, the Space Coast Science Education Alliance (SCSEA) honors the top science teachers in Brevard County. The Exemplary Science Teacher Award is given in recognition of teachers who go above and beyond to foster a love of learning and develop science literacy among their students. This year, four teachers received the distinguished award.
“It is a true honor to celebrate four of the most dedicated and talented science teachers in Brevard County,” says Kevin Smith, president, SCSEA. “We are grateful for their contributions and the opportunity to recognize their hard work.”
The 2024 Exemplary Science Teacher Award winners are:
The Florida Energy Workforce Consortium launched a new scholarship this year promoting careers in energy. Timothy Gallagher, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Central Florida, is one of two recipients of this inaugural award. Each recipient received a check for $2000 to further their goal of working in the energy industry.
“We are proud to be able to offer the scholarships to the students who plan the careers in energy sector as another way of supporting energy workforce development,” said Olec Andrić, Education Chair at Florida Energy Workforce Consortium. “We are looking forward to support Timothy Gallagher’s growth at UCF and a successful start of his energy career.” Read more
EnergyWhiz was held on Saturday, April 20th, 2024. Listed below are the award winners for the competitions: Critter Comfort Cottage, Energy Inspired Art, Junior Solar Sprint, and Solar Energy Cook-off.
1st – Team Turtle-Tastic, Sally Ride Elementary, Orlando Teacher: Beatriz Berriz
2nd – Happy Hamsters, Red Bug Elementary, Casselberry Teacher: Tisha Greek
3rd – EcoDragons, Lockmar Elementary, Palm Bay Teacher: Jennifer Lucas
1st – Sustainable Krill Farm, Switzerland Point Middle, Jacksonville Coach: Ricardo Haragutchi
2nd – Croaky Critters, Pershing K-8, Orlando Teacher: Heather Febres
3rd – The Leaping Lizards (Napoleon), Pershing K-8, Orlando Teacher: Heather Febres