HomeMy WebLinkAboutLOS - DarleneP.O. Box 170
Dillingham, Alaska 99576
TO:
Grant Reviewers
FROM:
Darlene Triplett, Superintendent
DATE:
November 9, 2009
SUBJECT:
Letter of support for Wind for Schools Project
Last spring local community members approached me about offering high school science
courses that included an energy strand. Local interest in this topic was sparked because of the
high cost of heating fuel ($4.50 per gallon) and the extremely high cost of gas ($6.25 per
gallon). We also have a special interest group that would like to decrease the toxins placed in
the air through the use of fossil fuel.
Due to the number of parents and community members that approached me with their requests,
I decided to form an energy task force committee —see attached School Profile. This
committee met three times during the spring months. Many of the committee members were
eager to have the students learn how to install and operate wind turbines and solar panels, but
the teachers discouraged our jumping into these projects before the students understood the
basics about how solar and wind energy work. Therefore, we are currently offering one basic
energy course in the high school and alternative school curriculum.
This granting opportunity comes "just in time," to support the next goals in our project. We
have a local corporation that is willing to partner with us to share data from their wind turbine.
At this point, what our district lacks, is the curriculum to know how to integrate this project, the
funding to support the purchase of equipment to perform data downloads, and the technical
assistance needed to operate the equipment.
I, therefore, am in full support of partnering with your granting agency which will offer the
support our district seeks to continue our local efforts and assist with making this program a
sustainable component of our curriculum.
Sincerely,
p tlzl�
Darlene Triplett,
Superintendent
Superintendent Central Office Business Office High/Middle Elementary Alternative School
Ph: 842-5223 Ph: 842-1046 Ph: 842-3318 Ph: 842-5221 Ph: 842-5642 Ph: 842-5023
Fax: 842-5634 Fax: 842-3756 Fax: 842-4145 Fax: 842-4395 Fax: 842-4313 Fax: 842-5024