Students and a Dedicated Teacher in the Work in Beauty Murals
Right and Left Panels of Work of Mind
by Be Sargent
These murals were painted to inspire young career seekers in McKinley County to prepare for green jobs.
At left students, Johnathan Begay and Charley Herbert, hold the beautiful wood propeller for a wind generator they made in Ray Griego’s class at CIT. Johnathan went on to get a job at Sacred Power where he still works.
Studying through the microscope is Spencer O’Keefe of MESA, Math, Engineering and Science Club at Gallup High School. Spencer is now at Eastern New Mexico University getting his Music Education degree. He writes after being told about this article, “Sweet! I’m also applying for the Peace Corps with hopes of volunteering in South America. I want to come back to the Four Corners area of NM of AZ to be a bilingual Music Educator.”
Raymond Griego has been teaching at the Navajo Technical College, NTC, formerly known as Crownpoint Institute of Technology, CIT. When Ray started teaching in 1987 his teaching duties were to revamp the Electrical Trades Program. Starting with six students, within a couple of years the enrollment grew to 45. Job placements for the students were over 80 percent.
In 1997 he was asked to attend a two-week conference at the University of California, Berkley. The conference was on Renewable Energy and concentrated on Photovoltaic Energy. That was the spark of motivation to include Renewable Energy into the Electrical Trades’ one-year certificate program.
Workshop at NTC, Ray middle left
In the year 2000 Mr. Griego and Dr. Miley Gonzales co-wrote and submitted a NASA grant proposal for a $300,000 grant to develop a program that included components in alternative energy such as solar and wind technologies. The idea was to introduce Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. NTC was awarded the grant.
“We started with a one-year certificate program, now we offer a two-year degree in Energy Systems,” Griego proudly states.
Students are now accepted into internships because of the two-year degree status.
Sandra Begay Campbell, also in the mural, at Sandia National Laboratories coordinates the internship program. Three applicants are selected per year. Students are also obtaining work experience internships with renewable energy contractors. Job placement has been close to 50 percent. Most students do not want to or have the means to work outside the Navajo Nation.
“Every day is an adventure and a challenge to teach students. I like to insert hands-on projects into the curriculum so students can explore, learn theory, design and problem solve. Teamwork gives students a better opportunity to understand concepts. Some examples of projects include an 1800-watt photovoltaic grid tied system; a 1100-watt hybrid system that includes both wind and photovoltaic (it powers the campus marquee sign); a 20-meter anemometer; a 2.5-kilowatt wind machine that sells electricity to the power company; a 500-watt homebuilt wind machine.
“This semester we plan to build a solar food dryer, install an active solar air collector and built another 500-watt homebuilt wind machine. Our college gives the instructor and student freedom to explore the world of Renewable Energy. For that reason, and good recruitment efforts, we have attracted students from as far away as Jamaica.
“We see a bright future in renewable energy considering how long it has taken the nation (as a whole) to use other forms of energy. Most of us understand the importance to reduce harmful emissions. The concept of clean energy is a topic we cannot ignore. Education is a key component that will promote clean energy.
“Several years ago I had envisioned helping those that do not have electricity (I read an article that one-third of the world’s population do without electricity). I would like to teach those that needed the most! It would be nice to have community members learn to build a homebuilt wind machine.
“It takes time, desire and motivation. Our first wind machine took 3 years to complete. We can now build one in a one semester.
“I’m hoping that students that have graduated from the Energy Systems program can teach those to help themselves.” – Ray Griego
At left is Ray teaching Candace Craig, now a rock star, how to use a Solar Pathfinder, a tool that uses a highly polished, transparent, convex plastic dome to give a panoramic view of the site of a proposed solar array.
Two more students from the MESA Club at Gallup High, Erik Woestehoff and Kimberly Byrd examine a PV panel. Kim is now at UNM Medical School in the Physician’s Assistant program. Erik graduated from NAU with a graphic design degree.
