Press Contact:
Megan Ellis, Park City High School senior and Earth Club co-president
Email: mellis21@pcstudents.us Phone: 435-659-4850
Interviews available with student leaders of the Students for 100% Clean Energy team: Tess Carson, Nina Serafin, Josie Chesley, and Montana Burack.
AS PARK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT MOVES FORWARD WITH MASTER PLANNING, STUDENTS CALL FOR A DISTRICT WIDE COMMITMENT TO 100% CLEAN ENERGY
Park City, UT -- A student coalition from Park City School District is asking the district school board to pass a 100% Clean Energy resolution to protect the health of future generations and mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis. The resolution calls on the school district to achieve 100% clean, renewable electricity by 2030, and phase-out all fossil fuels by 2040 — by electrifying heating, cooking, transportation, and cooling systems.
This would be the second school district commitment to 100% clean energy in Utah, following student-led success of the first 100% clean energy resolution that passed in the Salt Lake City School District last year.
“This is part of a larger student-led movement that's gaining momentum in schools across the state as young people become more aware and concerned of the challenges and risks presented by the climate crisis,” said Montana Burack, a student of the Students for 100% Clean Energy team and 9th grader at Treasure Mountain Junior High. “By transitioning to clean energy, the District could position itself as a leader on climate action and support the movement for a clean energy future.”
In January, the students submitted a petition in support of the resolution to the school board signed by over 500 district students, parents, and staff. Park City Mayor Andy Beerman and the Summit County Council have also submitted letters of support.
“Park City and Summit County have some of the most ambitious climate goals in the country,” said Nina Serafin, a student of the Students for 100% Clean Energy team and junior at Park City High School. “By committing to 100% Clean Energy, the school district can play a key role in helping the community achieve its goals.”
According to Serafin, the district board has voiced support for the Resolution but has delayed the process to formalize a 100% clean energy commitment.
“There have been concerns that the School District does not have the bandwidth to pursue this initiative,” she said. “However, we feel that commiting to 100% Clean Energy is a responsible and necessary goal. Moving to 100% Clean Energy and electrifying heating, cooking, cooling, and transportation is necessary to reach emissions reduction targets and avoid catastrophic and irreversible climate impacts. Implementing these commitments will improve indoor and outdoor air quality, which is known to improve academic outcomes. And it can help reduce COVID-19 related risks that we are currently addressing.”
The students have requested a board vote to ensure that a district-wide commitment to 100% Clean Energy is included within the scope of work and strategies outlined in the District Master Plan.
According to Tess Carson, a member of the Students for 100% Clean Energy team and Co-president of the Park City High School Climate Action Club, adopting the Resolution would formalize a commitment to 100% clean energy and ensure that the District Master Plan includes clear emission reduction targets.
“Our Resolution is timely,” said Carson. “Climate change is already impacting the health of our communities and our environment. By adopting the Resolution, we can ensure that clean, renewable sources of energy are prioritized in the master plan, as well as future plans.”
To secure a formal board vote, the students are calling on the community to voice their support for a 100% clean energy commitment.
“It’s important that our Resolution is brought before the board for a formal board vote before the end of the school year,” said Carson. “We are asking the community to voice their support by calling the School Board at (435) 645-5600. Every phone call makes a difference.”
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Note to editors: To access photos from the Students for 100% Clean Energy Team, click here.
Additional quotes from students involved in the Clean Energy Campaign stated:
According to Montana Burack, a leader of the Students for 100% Clean Energy team, “I think that clean energy is a way to create a better future for the earth and build a stronger community at the same time. Climate change is already affecting us and will affect our local, national, and global economies, not to mention our lives, in various ways.
”Even as a 9th grader, it is obvious that clean energy is a step in the right direction, especially in the most local form of government, our school boards. This campaign has made me even more proud of my community and has taught me how even a 14-year-old can make a difference in an issue as big as climate change.”
According to Mary Closser, Education Director at Recycle Utah and community member in Park City, “Recycle Utah is thrilled that our local students feel empowered enough to speak up about what’s important to them. We support them every step of the way.”