Wind-Powered Schools Create New Possibilities

We all want our children to have the brightest futures possible, and wind power helps check a lot of the boxes we envision when we think of the opportunities we'd like them to have: well-paying jobs, clean air and healthy communities. But there's another way wind is ensuring success for the next generation -- it's strengthening schools across the country. It's not easy to run a school district in the rural parts of America. Small populations and low tax bases mean resources can be scarce. Our children's education is one place we never want to skimp, so that presents a challenge. During the recession years, these pressures were only intensified. However, communities hosting wind farms have gotten a substantial shot in the arm. The exact path can vary depending on town and state, but wind farms often greatly increase property taxes or make payments directly to school budgets. And that can mean a lot of extra resources. A study from Oklahoma State University released this fall, for example, found wind projects in the Sooner State will pay counties and schools over $1 billion during the projects' lifetimes. We recently heard from Cheryl Steckley, school superintendent for Lowville, N.Y., about what hosting a wind farm has meant for her district. Partially because of the project, Lowville schools offer 11 AP courses, college-level classes, have new athletic facilities, and soon, every student grades three through 12 will have his or her own laptop. During the recession, at ...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news