DORCHESTER, MA – January 5, 2016 – Epiphany School, an independent, tuition-free middle school dedicated to serving children from economically disadvantaged families, has partnered with Solect Energy of Hopkinton, MA under the PowerOptions program to install a 25 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system on the roof of its Dorchester location. The solar array is expected to cover a portion of the school’s annual electricity use.
Founded in 1997, Epiphany School serves approximately 90 students in grades 5-8, hundreds of young adults via its graduate support program, and hundreds of Boston families that are economically disadvantaged. Epiphany is unique due to its small class sizes, individualized curricula, and extended days that allow the dedicated staff to focus on individual improvement for everyone in their diverse student body. All former students are provided with resources to succeed, in alignment with the schools mission to “never give up on a child.”
“We’re always looking for ways to make an impact, and solar seemed like it was a great opportunity to do our part to promote renewable energy,” said Will Brown, a teacher at Epiphany School. Brown continued, “We hope that eventually the array will also have points of intersection with our academic programming.”
“Our entire budget is dedicated to direct service of our students and graduates, and the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) provided through Solect and Power Options allowed us to follow through with the array without the capital expenditures that would normally preclude us from getting involved.” Brown added.
Epiphany adds the array to a portfolio of educational green efforts focused on sustainability and sourcing local produce. The school’s meal program includes as much of its ingredients from local farms and distributors as possible. Students also participate in a gardening program that will soon expand with the addition of a large school greenhouse.
“Working with Epiphany School to help them install their array has been a great experience,” said Alex Keally, Partner at Solect Energy. “It’s gratifying knowing that that they can incorporate the array into their educational curriculum in addition to saving on their energy costs.”
About Epiphany School
Founded in 1997, Epiphany believes that every child deserves a quality education in a supportive environment. We serve approximately 90 students in grades 5-8, hundreds of young adults in our graduate support program, and hundreds more families all from economically disadvantaged backgrounds from Boston. Our education is based on individualized attention and essential skill building with a far-reaching web of support, and we offer 12-hour school days, small classes, and tutoring. We also serve three meals daily and two snacks, run competitive sports programs, and ensure students’ health and social needs are met. All of our students have high-quality programming 11 months of the year, and our graduates remain active members of the school community. We admit most students by lottery, although siblings are generally automatically admitted because we work in close partnership with families. We also reserve 30% of our slots for children involved with the Department of Children & Families (DCF). Finally, as part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring Epiphany graduates succeed, we provide substantial resources to all of our former students. Epiphany’s essence is a commitment to its mission to “never give up on a child.”
About Solect Energy
Solect is a full-service solar photovoltaic (PV) project developer and installer based in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, delivering smart solar and energy management solutions to help businesses and organizations reduce energy costs. As an industry leader in commercial-scale solar energy, Solect takes a practical approach to the development, installation and on-going support of each system. We partner closely with our customers, providing strong financial insight and solar technology expertise to optimize their investment while creating a positive impact on the environment. Solect currently has installed over 40 MW (megawatts) of commercial PV systems, with a primary focus on commercial, light industrial and institutional properties in New England. For more information, visit http://www.solect.com or follow us on Twitter at @SolectSolar.
