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Wenatchee High students present ASB leadership and AEM energy program to school board
Summary
Student leaders from Wenatchee High School briefed the district board on ASB leadership plans and Advanced Energy Movement (AEM) internship results, saying interns helped the district meet five of six Clean Buildings Performance Standard requirements and reported measurable energy and cost savings across schools.
Student leaders from Wenatchee High School addressed the Wenatchee School District board on Aug. 26, outlining plans for student leadership and reporting results from the Advanced Energy Movement (AEM) internship program.
"Leadership is influence," said one student from the ASB delegation, summarizing the leadership message students brought back from summer camps at Mount Adams and Mission Peak. Vice president Melanie Tovar told the board the camps emphasized inclusivity and the "8 essentials," and student speakers said they plan to use their experience to expand participation and events at Wenatchee High School.
In a longer presentation, AEM interns described how they collect and analyze building energy data, support operations and maintenance, and pursue occupant engagement to reduce waste. AEM presenter Isabella Garcia said the intern team has helped Wenatchee High School meet five out of six Clean Buildings Performance Standard tasks, citing work on measurement, benchmarking, energy tracking and an operations and maintenance program.
The students presented specific results: they reported a 9% energy reduction within the first month after AEM began work with some sites and cited larger reductions by July at other locations. Presenters said a July comparison for one building showed a 62% reduction and weekend shutdown work produced a 41% reduction at another site, which AEM estimated as roughly $101,160 in savings over a single holiday weekend. The interns also reported shutting down 29 of 32 portables districtwide during unoccupied hours and said that preventative maintenance and equipment inventories (more than 1,297 items logged across district buildings) underpin the savings.
Students outlined tools and processes they use: 15-minute interval data, Energy Star Portfolio Manager benchmarking, utility-bill tracking, on-site work with custodial and facilities staff, and a new maintenance software (Operations Hero) to manage preventive maintenance. They described limits to the internship role — they do not directly finance or install equipment retrofits — and said their focus is on data, behavior and maintenance to unlock cost savings.
Board members and attendees praised the students. One board member noted the partnership with Chelan County PUD and local libraries and asked how the interns choose clients; students said they gain clients through conferences, referrals and established partnerships.
The presentation closed with district staff and board appreciation for the AEM program’s educational and operational benefits. The district’s superintendent and board asked for follow-up and monthly updates from the student teams.
Next steps: students said they will continue occupant engagement campaigns starting in September and will track progress toward meeting the remaining Clean Buildings Performance Standard target for Wenatchee High School.
