Going Solar

Funding Stories

Wanaka Preschool embarked on an excited project last year with the bold decision to purchase and installed a new solar energy system to replace the Preschools 25-year-old radiant heaters. The Preschool which has successfully achieved a Silver Enviroschools Award, encourages and empowers children and families to act in ways that nurture people and nature, now and in the future.

Lo Stevenson-Scurr, Centre Manager explains the project not only has provided the Preschool with an alternative energy source and a financial savings, but we have taken away life long learnings.

“The children, teachers and whanau have had a rich learning experience from the start to the finish of this project. The children have explored all types of alternative energy (making windmills, hydro projects) as well as identifying everything that uses energy. As teachers we have had such fun learning alongside them”.

Lo highlights that the Centre have been planning and hoping for this solar conversion for many years and we are so grateful to Otago Community Trust for their invaluable help in making it happen, alongside all the other funders and in-kind support we have received. Otago Community Trust awarded a $12,340 grant to Wanaka Preschool Early Childhood Centre for this project.