Orinda Elementary School to Hold STEM and Art Fair

BERKELEY, CA, 1 June 2016 Promoting interest in STEM science, technology, engineering and mathematics is a top priority for many Bay Area schools. By encouraging students early on to engage in problem solving, collaboration and hands-on activities, STEM subjects become fun, exciting and engaging.

To further foster interest in STEM and the arts, an elementary school from the Orinda Union School District (OUSD) will hold a Makers Day Fair early this month that will have students work on robots, drones, clay animation, green screen movie making and solar technology. Del Rey Elementary School will have their Makers Day Fair on June 2 (9am-12nn) on campus for their students and families.

According to Del Rey principal Kirsten Theurer, the Makers Day Fair exemplifies great community spirit. We are very excited to bring together our students, faculty and staff, parents and other members of the community in an event that celebrates science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. We hope that this fair will further inspire our future artists, scientists, doctors, astronauts, engineers and researchers.

Del Rey Elementary School is a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program of the U.S. Department of Education recognizes public and private schools where students achieve very high learning standards.

Glorietta Elementary School, another OUSD school, will hold a similar event in the fall, with the exact date to be determined.

Hands-on science exploration
Activities of the half-day event include a robotics and coding station where students can code paths for their robots or quadcopters, and a solar power demonstration that will focus on solar cell exploration and clean energy generation. Volunteers from Lawrence Hall of Science will also be setting up various math and engineering stations.

According to Pam LoPinto, Sun Light & Power''s project manager for the solar system installations at five OUSD schools this summer, the solar power demo aims to pique student''s imaginations about the use of clean, renewable energy in our daily lives. Engaging children in creative uses for solar energy is essential to ensuring a hopeful energy future for them," she shared.

Rick Brown, President of TerraVerde Renewable Partners LLC, added that harnessing childrens natural curiosity helps stimulate interest in sciences, the environment and even renewable energy. It is exciting that we may have the next engineer or researcher attending the fair who just might be responsible for future improvements in solar or battery storage technologies, he said. TerraVerde is assisting OUSD in their solar project as the District continues its goal of improving its facilities and grounds, and creating a better learning environment for its students.

Create videos, public art
For the budding filmmakers, there will be green screen movie making and clay animation stations, where students can draft their scripts and create a video of their stories using either green screen, or clay and an iPad. John Toki, a well-known Bay Area sculptor, will also be on-site to guide students as they help design, weld and paint a piece of public art to be displayed at the Orinda Library and later installed at Del Rey.

About Sun Light & Power
Founded in 1976, Sun Light & Power is celebrating its 40th continuous year of designing and building solar systems in California, a feat unmatched by any solar company in the state. Sun Light & Powers team of engineers, project managers and installers serves a wide range of commercial, nonprofit, municipal and residential clients, with a strong emphasis on the affordable housing sector. Sun Light & Power is one of the first companies in the state to become a Certified Benefit Corporation as well as being the first solar company to be certified as an Alameda County Green Business. For more information, visit www.sunlightandpower.com.

About TerraVerde Renewable Partners LLC
TerraVerde is the leading independent energy advisory firm focused on managing large-scale efficiency and solar projects for its clients. TerraVerde develops renewable energy facilities for local, state and federal governments, school districts and water districts. Our solar energy systems provide our clients with fairly priced, reliable, long-term, inflation-hedged source of green energy. Additionally, our systems help our clients meet clean energy regulatory requirements and achieve green branding objectives. We create value in the communities in which we operate by reducing local greenhouse gas emissions, supporting community-based environmental programs and local government initiatives and providing investments that promote the development of green jobs.


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