First Wind, an independent U.S.-based wind energy company, today announced that Heidi Jamison, a senior at Garfield-Palouse High School in Palouse, Washington, will be one of the recipients of the company’s 2012 First Wind Scholars program. Ms. Jamison and her parents joined First Wind officials at the company’s celebratory kick-off event today marking the start of major construction of its 105 MW Palouse Wind project in Whitman County, Washington. First Wind plans to announce the other recipients of this year’s First Wind Scholars program later in May.
“We are very pleased that Heidi and her family could join us today to celebrate the start of major construction of our first wind project in the state of Washington,” said Carol Grant, Senior Vice President of External Affairs for First Wind. “Our scholarship program represents our support for young people who show an interest in and the capacity to contribute in the fields of environment, energy and science. The surrounding community has been very supportive of this project, which will be the area’s largest renewable energy facility, so it is only appropriate that one of the community’s young leaders that we selected for our scholarship program could join us today.”
As a recipient of the 2012 First Wind Scholars program, Ms. Jamison will be awarded a one-time $3,000 scholarship for one year. The valedictorian for the Class of 2012 for Garfield-Palouse High School, Ms. Jamison has been a leader both inside and outside of the classroom where she has been active in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), National Honor Society and the school’s student government. She is planning to attend the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, where she will study Soil and Land Resources as part of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
Located between State Route 195 and the town of Oakesdale, the Palouse Wind project will be the largest renewable energy facility in the county with the capacity to generate enough clean energy to power about 30,000 Northwest homes, equal to the total energy load of all of Whitman County. Once Palouse Wind is operational, Whitman County will receive approximately $12 million over the next 20 years in property tax revenues, or approximately $700,000 annually, which can be used to lower tax rates, improve schools, maintain roads and enhance local services.
Launched in October 2009, the First Wind Scholars program is available to high school students residing in each community where First Wind currently has a project in operation or in an advanced stage of development. The scholarship supports standout local high school students with an interest in studying the environment, energy or the sciences. In its first two years, the First Wind Scholars program has awarded 27 scholarships to top high school graduates from Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Vermont and Washington.