By Lisa Van De Hey, Gridley Herald

Imagine being an authority on solar, set to give a presentation at a local elementary school and having to sit through a seven-year-old's unbelieveable solar presentation, as he tells the school board members, his parents, grandparents, great-grandmother and the audience, that "Photovoltaic means cells made of silicone which is a conduit that absorbs the sun's energy."

Such is the case for Manzanta Elementary second grader, (he skipped the first grade), Josiah Lawrence when he presented the benefits of solar energy, as he glanced at his notes briefly.

During the After School Program, under the leadership of Darlene Fredericks, of the Butte County Office Of Education, Lawrence built a solar example out of K'Nex  with a lamp, heating a solar panel, which made a carousel turn, which made a motor turn a plastic man made out of the K'Nex.

"The power goes into the solar panel and all through the cord into the thing that needs electricity. The guy is turning  the wheel which needs solar power which is making gears turn," he explained.

"It doesn't have a battery. The big battery is the sun. It's a big battery," he told the audience. Lawrence brought the two creations home after his after school program and connected them.

When Fredericks saw what Lawrence had accomplished, she called Superintendent/Principal Brad Roberts, who then asked Lawrence if he would give a presentation to the school board members.

It is evident that this boy has a very bright future ahead of him and there is no doubt we will be hearing a lot more about this student.

John Weisman of Garland Energy Company and Justin Hollaman of Garland Roofing Company were next on the agenda and stated they had a tough act to follow.

They had been asked to come speak about the possibility of solar at the school and the impacts it would have. Five different presentations have been scheduled by Roberts, one presentation per month for board members.

An overview was done in order to be able to present a proposal with locations and different options researched.

A chart was presented to the school board members with different available locations listed at the school with the cost indicated. Choices included the roofs of the gymnasium, administration building, main classroom building, the new northwest classroom building, a new lunch overhang structure outside the classrooms, shade at the gym or on the ground behind the gym. Options were given and choices of different locations were shown in regards to square footage, cost and savings.

As the different charts were shown with costs, Josiah, sitting next to me whispered, "Wow, a lot of money."

The savings shown were impressive with a solar system lifetime of typically 35 to 50 years.

Financing options were given along with possible investors, who would own the system the first five years as they are paid, until ownership goes to the school as a bank is paid for the next 20 years.  

Financing options were given along with possible investors, who would own the system the first five years as they are paid, until ownership goes to the school as a bank is paid for the next 20 years.

Garland Energy Company installed the solar system at Bear River School in Wheatland, which is twice the size of Manzanita Elementary. Net energy credits were discussed which means more power can be stored than is used. The credits stored in the summertime would be used in the winter months when needed.

The next meeting of the Manzanita School board will be held May 13, 2009.