A Waukegan school turns sunshine into student support

A high school in Waukegan made a smart move by putting 932 solar panels on its big roof. The school used to pay a lot for electricity—now it saves over $94, 000 every year. That money now helps teens from families with fewer resources go to college instead of going toward power bills. The panels don’t just save cash. A screen in the school shows how much money and how many trees are being saved thanks to the sun. That’s a cool way to remind everyone that clean energy matters. The system also cuts down on pollution. Experts say it’s like taking 2, 600 cars off the road for 25 years.The project took time and teamwork. A foundation gave a grant, a company did the work, and now the school pays almost nothing for the power it makes itself. They still use some energy from the regular grid, but at a much lower cost. There’s even talk about adding more panels in the parking lot one day. Some people wonder why more schools and towns don’t do this. Sunshine is free, and once the setup is paid for, the savings keep coming. For a city with a history of pollution problems, this school is showing a cleaner way forward.