Solar Car Days: A community effort to inspire young minds

At Grant PUD, there is a strong belief in the power of coming together to create opportunities for the next generation. This belief was at the heart of the recent Solar Car Days event at Big Bend Community College, where Grant PUD collaborated with eight amazing partners to bring this annual event to life.

Bringing STEM to Life for Moses Lake Students

This year, a challenge arose when the Moses Lake School District informed Grant PUD, just a week before the event, that they would have to cancel their participation due to a lack of funds. Determined not to let the students miss out, Annette Lovitt from the Public Affairs team sprang into action. Through the Pay It Forward funds, Grant PUD was able to cover the transportation costs, ensuring that the students could attend and enjoy this enriching experience.

A Heartfelt Thank You from the Students

The impact of this event on the students was profound, as evidenced by the thank you notes received:

• Breckon: "Thank you for paying for Solar Car Days. If you guys would not have paid for it, we would not have learned what to do in a dangerous situation with electricity. We learned a bunch of important stuff because of you guys. We learned how to build our solar cars and how to be safe around electricity. Thank you for the memories, it means a lot to us."

• Jude: "Thank you for everything that you provided for us. I understand all the money that you guys have spent on the solar car races and bus trips, and I thank you with all of my heart that you provided us with this fun morning. I love spending time tinkering and building with solar cars."

Building a Legacy of STEM Education

The appreciation from both students and teachers was overwhelming. With Moses Lake School District facing significant uncertainties, this event provided a much-needed sense of normalcy and joy. It was a reminder of the importance of supporting educators and students during challenging times. 

Chuck Allen, Senior Manager of External Affairs, shared: "I've been involved with the solar car days for 12 years now, and I have coworkers who were 5th grade students at these races when I was there. Now, they are working with us.”

That was the vision Jim Frank had when he started this annual energy event: to inspire local kids to come back and work for Grant PUD. As Chuck shared, the efforts seem to be working, and Grant PUD will continue to work to inspire the brilliant young minds in Grant County to pursue a career in STEM.

Looking Ahead

Next year, Grant PUD looks forward to enhancing this event even further, with great partners eager to do more. The goal remains to make Solar Car Days better each year, providing even more opportunities for students to learn and grow.

A Community Effort

None of this would have been possible without the collaboration of partners: Big Bend, Moses Lake School District, North Central ESD, REC, Group 14, Sila, Sharon Palmerton Consulting, and Pay-It-Forward. Together, they made a difference in the lives of 1,239 5th graders from nine school districts, including two Christian schools.