January 15, 2020

Sunsense has joined the Preschool on Wheels initiative! Gus the Bus, of the Aspen Community Foundation, provided the foundation for Sunsense to give a solar makeover. Gus the Bus uses a diesel generator to provide power. Sunsense is installing solar panels on the roof, plus providing battery storage. The aim is to reduce the diesel generator use by 50%.

This is a perfect opportunity for Sunsense and solar to grow in our local community. To highlight what this project stands for, “The Preschool on Wheels program is an essential extension of our district schools. It helps ensure every child is ready for kindergarten. Without this program, a significant number of students would be at a disadvantage.” – Julie Knowles, Director of Assessment and Special Programs, Garfield Re-2 School District. According to ACF online, “the Preschool on Wheels program is a signature project of Aspen Community Foundation’s Cradle to Career Initiative. In partnership with Garfield School District Re-2, Gus the Bus and the Sunshine Bus are school buses transformed into state-of-the-art preschool classrooms. Preschool on Wheels was the first mobile preschool to be licensed by the State of Colorado. Preschool on Wheels serves children ages 3-5 in the towns of New Castle, Silt, and Rifle, Colorado. More than 450 children have benefited from the program since it began in 2012. Aspen Community Foundation’s Cradle to Career Initiative brings nonprofits, education, business, government and philanthropy together to build youth success from Aspen to Parachute ensuring that all 20,000 children ages 0-18 are ready for kindergarten and that they graduate from high school ready for college or career.”