SCUSD to Unveil New Community Services Support Bus to Celebrate International Day of Climate Action High school students will participate in converting bus from a diesel engine[...]

Press releaseOctober 22, 2024

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Where: John F. Kennedy High School, 6715 Gloria Drive, Sacramento, CA
When: Thursday, October 24, 2024, 10:30 a.m.
Visuals: E.V.E.L.Y.N. mobile resource center bus tour and video, interviews with program partners.

Sacramento, CA - In honor of International Day of Climate Action on Thursday, October 24, 2024, Sacramento City Unified School District will unveil E.V.E.L.Y.N., a soon-to-be fully electric community services support bus designed to lift up underserved neighborhoods across the city. This mobile resource center will be used for pop-up events at school sites, including food distributions, movie nights, immunization clinics, enrollment support, and clothing closets, to better serve students and their families.

E.V.E.L.Y.N. is an acronym for Electric Vehicle Elevating Learning in Your Neighborhood and is named in appreciation of a retired school bus driver who was assigned this particular bus during her 17 years of dedicated service to Sac City Unified.

Equally exciting and impactful is that high school students working under the supervision of electric vehicle experts will directly participate in converting E.V.E.L.Y.N. from a diesel engine to an electric-powered bus, while earning valuable work experience and school credit.

"Electric vehicle production and maintenance and the expansion of clean energy technology open a challenging and rewarding career pathway for students," said JB Polanco, automotive teacher at John F. Kennedy High School. "With the help of our public and private partners, we can provide students with the opportunity to build a resume in this fast-growing profession and set them up for long-term success after graduation."

SCUSD's partners on this unique endeavor include California Mobility Center, Ohm Electric Cars, SMUD, and Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. These public and private entities have pledged financial, technical, and logistical support essential for the program's success.

"This program allows Sacramento to innovate and lead in developing clean and safe solutions to California's transportation challenges while keeping up with the increasing demand for this specialized workforce," said Orville Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, California Mobility Center. "The CMC looks forward to helping students and staff through the EV conversion process and celebrating their accomplishments in the end."

The EV conversion project is expected to begin in January 2025. Before the start date, E.V.E.L.Y.N. will make regularly scheduled stops in underserved neighborhoods of Sacramento to connect families with health and wellness resources.

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