Summer of Sustainable Trades!

What do kids get to do?

Choose one, two, or all three projects:

• Conservation careers with the Conservation District
  • Kids do soil testing
• Electrical utility trades with OPALCO.
  • Do a virtual tour of a substation
  • Watch line workers open a transformer.
  • Learn about GIS and map local utility infrastructure
  • Kids make a DIY generator and motor. Materials and multimeter provided.
• Renewable energy with Rainshadow Solar
  • Kids do a solar site assessment
  • Kids make a sundial

Other great opportunities about the program.

• Meet kids from other islands.
• Discover career options.
• Opportunities to participate in other 4-H activities if kids want to.

What does it cost? It’s FREE!

How long dies it takes? Just a couple of hours a week.

When and where is it? Each project involves a series of online sessions to introduce, troubleshoot, and wrap-up the project. Real world projects can be done at home or in your neighborhood at anytime between the sessions. The online sessions are scheduled as follows:

• Conservation trades with the Conservation District: July 15 and Aug 24 and 26 at 4PM
• Electrical utilities with OPALCO: July 20, 22, and 29, and Aug. 12 at 1PM
• Renewable energy with Rainshadow Solar: Sep. 23 and 30, and Oct 7 at 4PM

Do kids have to be in 4-H? They have to join, but the EDC will pay for memberships if they are not already members. There is no obligation to remain in 4-H.

Interested? Have questions? Contact Wendy Waxman Kern, the 4-H Coordinator for San Juan County wendy.waxman@wsu.edu

Deadline: Let us know you are interested by July 5^th (conservation work or electrical utilities), or September 1st (renewable energy).

This series is made possible by the generosity of funders of the EDC’s Trades Training Initiative, in particular the San Juan Island Community Foundation, the Lopez Lions, the Friday Harbor Kiwanis, the Raynier Institute and Foundation, San Juan County, the Orcas Kiwanis, Robin VanHyning, and other donors. To support EDC trades programs, please visit www.sanjuansedc.org/donate.

Past Announcements

Masonry Press Release:

Kids from all over San Juan County have a chance to do a free, fun masonry project put on by the Economic Development Council (EDC) and WSU Extension’s San Juan County 4-H Program. Dave Koch, retired stonemason, is very kindly donating his time and labor to create kits to do slate tile work. Kids will learn about the masonry trades and how to do the project in online sessions with Mr. Koch on May 4th, 11th, 18th and 25^th (Tuesdays) at 4:00PM via Zoom, but the kids will do the project at home.

This program will be free and is open to all San Juan County middle school aged children. Kids have to join 4-H (paid for by the EDC) to participate but there is no obligation to remain in 4-H after completing the project. However, 4-H membership will open other great learning opportunities.

To register a child, parents may contact Wendy Waxman Kern, the 4-H Coordinator for San Juan County WSU Extension, wendy.waxman@wsu.edu. This activity is geared toward middle school-aged youth and has space for up to 10 kids.

Interested? Contact wendy.waxman@wsu.edu by April 28th.

This is the second in series of hands-on trades projects for kids, which will include such topics as electronics, firefighting, solar power, and construction.

This series is made possible by the generosity of funders of the EDC’s Trades Training Initiative, including the Raynier Institute and Foundation, San Juan County, the Lopez Island Lions Club, the United Way of San Juan County, the Port of Lopez, the Port of Friday Harbor, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Washington State Dept. of Commerce, Browne’s Home Center, and others. To support EDC trades programs, please visit www.sanjuansedc.org/donate.

March, 2021: Firefighting with SJIF&R

The Economic Development Council (EDC), in partnership with WSU Extension’s San Juan County 4-H program, is creating activities for children to introduce them to different trades in a fun and hands-on program that is offered remotely. The first installment on fire preplanning will launch on March 19th, via Zoom, and will be led by Lt. Gilbert Venegas, of San Juan Island Fire & Rescue. Lt. Venegas brings over a decade of experience in emergency services.

This class will be the start of a series of hands-on trades projects for kids, including such topics as electronics, masonry, solar power, construction, and marine repair.

To register a child, parents may contact Wendy Waxman Kern, the 4-H Coordinator for San Juan County WSU Extension, wendy.waxman@wsu.edu. This activity is geared toward middle school-aged youth and has space for up to 10 kids. Participants will join firefighters by Zoom for discussions on March 19th, March 26th, and April 9^th at 4:00 PM, but will complete activities under parental supervision.

To donate and help cover participants’ materials and 4-H memberships so that all kids may participate and benefit from this and other 4-H programs, please visit www.sanjuansedc.org/donate.

The EDC thanks San Juan County, the Raynier Institute and Foundation, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Port of Friday Harbor, the Washington State Dept. of Commerce, Orcas Kiwanis, Islanders Bank, Heritage Bank, the Corbins, Island Market, Kings Market, Friday Harbor Market Place, Ace Hardware Friday Harbor, Browne’s Home Center, the Port of Lopez, the Rotary Club of the San Juan Islands, and other individual donors, as well as San Juan Island Fire & Rescue and Washington State University’s Extension Program for their support.