HUSD works to provide solar power to Indigenous students
The Holbrook Unified School District (HUSD) No. 3 Governing Board met for a regular meeting last Tuesday, during which HUSD Indian Education Program and Parental Involvement Program leaders Bernice Gover and Heather Manygoats presented on a summer solar installation project, which was done in collaboration with the Heart of America organization and the Winslow Unified School District (WUSD) to bring solar power to students’ families on the Navajo Nation in need of electricity. “Each home got four panels, and they got the power station, the cooler and two LED lights that were installed,” Manygoats explained, “The power unit could power desktops, computers, tablets, laptops, small kitchen appliances, microwaves, mini fridges, battery tools, TVs, small heaters and Wi Fi routers.”
The program was able to provide power to 10 family’s homes through the HUSD program and approximately the same number through the WUSD program, with future plans to install solar panels for all the families who qualified. It was noted that most of the families had neither running water nor electricity. The services were provided to the families free of cost.