The Microgrid Engineers of Tomorrow program at the St. Clair Superior Teen Center proposes to install its 2nd solar-powered air-monitor station on St. Clair Ave, establishing an educational network of hyper-local air monitors called the Microgrid Engineers of Tomorrow Network or MET Net.

Our Awesome project targets underserved teenagers from the inner city of Cleveland. The purpose of the project is to offer an unprecedented workforce development opportunity, exposing aspiring engineers to environmental sciences & other STEM career paths. We want to inspire the next generation of environmental engineers through the hands-on construction of an off-grid solar microgrid to power a citizen science air monitor station. To make it even more awesome we want to mimic the Bronzeville Solar Pyramid project to make this microgrid installation not only a functional air monitor station for community members but also a public art installation attracting more attention to the issue of air quality & sustainability.

The MET Net 2020 program will include 6-weeks of summer employment for 40 teenagers from Cleveland aged 14-19, an extended fall internship for up to 8 of the summer employees, & a culminating construction/installation project. The program will include air monitor training, soft job skills development, career exposure field trips, woodshop & hands on building projects, & finally the construction of the Glenville Solar Pyramid.

The Glenville Solar Pyramid will represent the 2nd MET Net station after we installed the MET Laboratory on St. Clair Ave in December 2019. This also represents a huge step forward in our workforce development program introducing air quality monitoring (in partnership with Cleveland’s Department of Air Quality) as well as OSHA General Industry safety certification for the first time since the program’s founding in 2015. This MET Net project exemplifies the awesome power of solar energy while preparing young people for awesome future careers.