Utah Students Win $1.6M for School Clean Energy Push

When a group of Utah high schoolers worried about their state's environment in 2018, they didn't just complain. They organized, partnered with the Sierra Club, and convinced the Salt Lake City School District to commit to 100% clean energy by 2030.

Now their vision is becoming reality, backed by $1.6 million in IRS reimbursements.

The students work through Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, or UYES, a group that trains young people to become environmental leaders in their communities. Through a week-long program, students learn they have real power to create change, not just someday, but right now.

Sophia Smith joined UYES in high school and is now a college sophomore still working with the program. "I myself have learned that I have a lot more power than I thought I did," she said. Her favorite part is bridging communication between students and decision makers.

The Salt Lake City School District approved the clean energy resolution in 2020. Today, solar panel arrays already provide 26% of the district's renewable energy goal.

Muskan Wallia, a lead organizer who has been with UYES for six years, explains the group's core values simply. "Everybody is a teacher and everybody is a student, and a good education should be free," she said.

The project tackles a real problem. Utah's schools emit nearly 890,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Ripple Effect

Beyond helping the planet, this shift will directly benefit students in the classroom. Energy costs are one of the largest expenses for school districts, and the move to clean energy will free up funding for other educational needs.

The students behind this effort prove that young people don't need to wait until they're older to shape their future. They're showing other districts across Utah and beyond that student voices can drive real policy change.

From concern to action to million-dollar results, these Utah students are lighting the way forward.