Finding their solar ways

Talk about hands-on learning.

At Back Bay High School, a continuation program, students are learning how to install solar panels. They’re reading thick, complicated manuals.

They’re making installations on the roofs of buildings, most recently a few weeks ago at Sharp Industries in Huntington Beach.

They’re talking to technicians in the trade who’ve made special appearances in their classroom, promising them $20 an hour jobs if they really learn how to independently install panels on their own — outside of a classroom.

Welcome to green technology.

Some refer to it as renewable energy. Everybody’s been talking about it.

You can’t avoid it. The Obama administration has promised to invest in it.

And in Kathy Evan’s solar panel installation class, students are actually doing something about it, making the alternative school a one-of-a-kind in Orange County.

Next week, the school will be recognized by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education as a prototype. That means it will behoove other schools to pattern themselves after Back Bay High if they’re interested in developing similar programs.

“You know how years ago, when we were growing up, wood shop and auto shop were a big deal? But then over the years schools got rid of them, even though the students went on to get great jobs because they became great carpenters and great auto mechanics?” asks Principal Debbie Davis. “Well, this class is like one of those from way back when. We’re preparing our students for the work force just like those classes did back then.”

And everybody agrees, Davis said, that the jobs created in the next few years are going to be in the field of renewable energy.

Which is why Annie Younglove, the job coach at Back Bay High, wrote a grant that enabled the school to qualify for funds under Senate Bill 70, a state-funded bill supported by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that funds careers in technical education.

The money is distributed through the Costa Mesa-based Orange County Department of Education.

Back Bay High qualified for three years to the tune of thousands of dollars each year.

And last December, the class got underway. And dozens of students who had a hard time at a mainstream school found themselves looking straight into the complexities of a solar panel.

“What’s great about this class is that if I don’t want to install panels, I can always go into sales or other aspects of the field,” said Frankie Farias, 17. “There are so many opportunities, it’s endless.”

Melvin Kidder, 17, said there’s no question in his mind that what he wants in life at this point is to be on top of somebody’s roof, helping them conserve energy while making a few bucks.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “And it’s not that difficult.”

The local solar industry has made it easy.

They’ve participated in the program and even reviewed it for Younglove and Davis.

They include Heritage Solar’s Chief Executive Dennis Epp, Suntrek Solar’s Chief Executive Roy Heine and technical director Aaron Hill.

Even sales managers have gotten into the mix, including Max Dworkin, who works for REC Solar as the California-based sales manager.

“The class has really come along, thanks to the industry’s involvement,” Davis said.