DENVER — Twenty Denver Public Schools (DPS) students are getting a unique summer classroom experience through the district’s first-ever EV Academy.
Throughout June, students are learning about electric vehicle technology, policies surrounding EVs and their environmental impact.
The EV Academy is the fourth career-focused summer program for DPS. Monica Schultz, senior manager of career navigation services, said the district recruited many of the participants from traditional auto mechanics classes.
“Our focus is really to help students get exposed to and learn about and get hands-on experience in careers that they might want to go into, or they just want to explore,” Schultz said.
Students had opportunities to learn from leaders in the EV field, including Lime and Tesla. DPS also partnered with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Regional Transportation District (RTD), and Women Who Charge.
One module, held at Ohm on the Range in Arvada, saw students building and programming electric scooters. Terry Breheny founded Ohm on the Range in 2022 to promote electric vehicle education.
“There’s a massive shortage that’s forecast for electric vehicle technicians,” Breheny said.
Colorado recently surpassed California as the nation’s leader in electric vehicle sales, but Breheny said relatively few auto mechanics are trained to work on electric engines.
“When the students come in and they’re like, ‘Just give me all the power,’” he said, illustrating the excitement surrounding electric vehicle technology.
DPS was also able to provide a stipend for students to attend the EV Academy through a grant from the City of Denver's Department of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resilience.
“It’s a good opportunity, especially because most students don’t know what they want to do in the future,” said 9th grader Ghalib Rahman.
DPS currently has plans to expand electric vehicle instruction throughout the academic year, incorporating EVs into the traditional auto mechanics curriculum.
