The Lighthouse Award program was created to honor the organizations that choose to make meaningful contributions to our students. In the last Board meeting, the Board of Trustees recognized an organization whose contributions underline a strong commitment to a more sustainable future.
Sedmek Inc. is a Calgary, Alberta based renewable energy Services Company. The company has installed several hundred solar thermal and solar electric systems across Western Canada.
President of Sedmek, David Kelly, has been a regular speaker at the Eco-living Fair and a guest lecturer at Mount Royal College's sustainable design program and the University of Calgary's Engineering programs. David Kelly is a leader in the solar industry, a teacher and has served on the board of the Canadian Solar Industries Association.
David Kelly is also a partner of SkyFire Energy, a leading solar energy company in Alberta. SkyFire is a firm believer in supporting the community that supports it, and for this reason SkyFire engages the public through educational demonstrations at community events around Calgary.
Together, Sedmek and SkyFire have installed small-scale solar photovoltaic system demonstrations at two Calgary Board of Education schools, Forest Lawn and Langevin. These systems contain materials that convert sunlight into direct current electricity. The schools used their “BP A-plus for Energy” grant money to help pay for the equipment and installation of two 720 watt systems. The goal of the renewable energy installations is to provide students with educational opportunities promote awareness of renewable energy and encourage energy conservation at the school. We anticipate that more schools will take a similar interest in renewable energy in the future.
Sedmek has gone above and beyond by helping the schools navigate the permitting process, donating hours of work to the project, as well as being available for school presentations and consulting on the development of school resource materials. The Calgary Board of Education is pleased to announce that both solar systems are installed and functioning, and the schools are making very good use of them as a learning tool.
A quote used on SkyFire’s website reads, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future” said by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Because of the time and effort dedicated by Calgarians such as David Kelly and future focused organizations like Sedmek, the mission to educate students for a brighter, more sustainable future is well on its way. The Calgary Board of Education would like to sincerely thank David Kelly for his work and the work of his organization, and congratulate them on receiving this month’s Lighthouse Award.
Calgary Board of Education, Calgary’s public school system
"Educating Tomorrow’s Citizens Today"
