The Chronicle - Senator Touts Proposed Energy Education Complex

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The Chronicle - Senator Touts Proposed Energy Education Complex

Mentoring Farm: U.S. Sen. Patty Murray Says Youth Work Program Is Exactly What County Needs

By Marqise Allen and Dan Schreiber
The Chronicle

A proposed educational energy park and farm in north Centralia received a lot of attention from U.S. Sen. Patty Murray when she visited the sprawling Cardinal Glass factory outside Winlock Thursday.

The Democratic senator met with members of the Lewis County Mentoring Project, a project to build a farm and green energy education complex along Sawall Avenue in North Centralia. Murray said the Growing Places Farm and Energy Park is a great example of what the county needs.

"They are doing exactly what I envision communities like yours should be doing. They have all the folks at the table and they're talking about what resources they have in their own community they can build on and provide pathways," Murray said. "It's a very impressive coalition of people that have decided Lewis County is going to have a future and they're going to make it happen."

John Smith, chairperson for the LCMP, explained how he and his group plan to help Lewis County's young people. They'll do this by pairing youth up with businesses and other resources and giving them a place to learn about agriculture and sustainable energy.

"We're not only trying to create a place where all these groups can interface," Smith said. "But where they can learn from exhibits."

A new program, the Tinkering Project, was also introduced. This project will offer semester-long science fair-like events for students within the different school districts within the county, with each semester offering a different theme.

For example, the subject of solar energy could be explored and researched by students, and eventually they could develop different ideas in its use and function, finally showing off the projects at the end of the semester. Smith says the winners from each school district will compete against each other, where the winner from the last group will receive a scholarship of some kind.

If people think that this is some lofty goal that requires a lot of time and money, Smith agrees.

"We know we have an ambitious plan," Smith said. "And we want an ambitious plan. It keeps us moving forward quickly and deliberately."

And with every turn, the group seems to get a little help.

In late September, Murray introduced the Promoting Innovations for the 21st Century Career Act, which is designed to create a federal grant program that would allow local jurisdictions to form partnerships between employers and local high schools and create programs that build skills conducive to area industries.

Murray said that will increase the local skills and available workforce.

"It would provide a long-range view that they need to succeed," Murray said.

A long-range view that Smith believes will not only help kids, but also the economy.

"For us to grow a strong economy, we need a strong work force," Smith said. "We have to invest now. We have to care of the problems of now, but we have to plan for what's to come."

Features of the Park

Proposed Features of the Growing Places Farm and Energy Park

Exhibit Containers: Interactive exhibits will be hosted in each of the rehabilitated shipping containers covered with sod roofs and solar panels. Each container will have a different theme. The differing themes will be created by different colleges and universities in the region, and each college will develop and design their own container. Students will learn more about energy products, green design and construction and energy efficiency.

Sustainability Studio: The sustainability studio will host the Tinkering Project to encourage students to become involved in science and engineering. The projects from each semester will be displayed within the studio.

Barn: The barn will be used for tool storage. It will also host cooking classes using the kitchens within the barn. There will be offices and instructional space on the second floor.

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