To Earn A Grant, St Rose Project Needs Texts

With plans coming to fruition on a project for learning gardens and a sustainable energy learning center for its students, St Rose of Lima School also applied for a Clorox grant, which requires daily votes via text messages to help the school earn the grant.

According to a recent school newsletter, the grant proposal was called Sustaining Energy and Expending Energy: Our Children Need Both! Begun on November 12, anyone can text 1527pdf to the number 95248 daily to help St Rose of Lima School earn one of the seven Power A Bright Future grants that will be awarded by Clorox.

James Walsh, who is chairing a parish committee working on the project, says the planned kiosk is the first-of-its-kind designed for a private school.

As Mr Walsh explained to the Board of Selectmen at a public hearing in August, General Motors offered to partner in developing the sustainable solar canopy pilot. He said the standalone structure will serve as a satellite classroom designed to teach students about environmental sustainability, as well as generating solar power that will help lower the electric usage at the school.

Mr Walsh said the development of this solar canopy has been fast-tracked as the second phase of a multiphase development of playground and other facilities at the parish school on Church Hill Road. He said since the completed playspace at the school is specifically oriented for younger children, the standalone structure will serve as both an educational and recreational place for all the school’s students.

Everything started with the idea of installing a new playscape at the school, according to Mr Walsh, and as the idea grew to incorporate something for all students, more people became involved. A parent who is an architect volunteered to design the space, and another parent who works for General Motors helped get the company involved.

Now Mr Walsh says the project is poised to go before the town for a permit, and “We hope to break ground and put the footings in before the ground freezes,” said Mr Walsh.

The solar canopy that will be installed will provide 4 kilowatts of energy that will be fed into the school, which will help lower yearly energy bills, according to Mr Walsh.

Mr Walsh also says the school is moving ahead with its playscape plan, and is expecting to have it completed in the spring.