Fifth graders spark solar energy shift at Mount Vernon School

Two seventh graders, Ocean Durden and David Song, ceremonially flipped the switch on more than 500 new solar panels at the Mount Vernon School in Sandy Springs during an Oct. 28 assembly. As fifth graders, Durden and Song researched solar energy’s environmental and financial benefits for a fifth-grade project and presented their recommendation to school leadership. Their proposal sparked further exploration and ultimately led to a partnership with Cherry Street Energy to bring their idea to reality. More than 500 solar panels sit on the roof of the Mount Vernon School’s Middle and Upper School buildings, generating more than 15% of the facility’s energy demand. (Provided by Sam Schlam at Cherry Street Energy) Mount Vernon partnered with Atlanta-based commercial solar power provider Cherry Street Energy to install solar panels on the rooftops of Mount Vernon’s Middle and Upper School buildings. Project spurs partnership Since August, more than 500 solar panels have been