San Benito High School District celebrates milestones

This article was written by BenitoLink intern Michael Koteles

San Benito High School District held a Flip the Switch and State of the District events, and revealed its newest campus addition Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation (MOT) building on May 6.

The event included a brunch and presentations from student speakers, district administrators, contractors, San Benito High School District Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum, former state superintendent of instruction Jack O’Connell, and representatives of Assemblymember Robert Rivas and state Senator Anna Caballero.  

The two-hour gathering celebrated the recent completion of new solar panels on the Career Technical Education (CTE) and MOT buildings, which signifies progress toward sustainability. 

The school has received $5.7 million in grants that include six gas-powered vehicles, five diesel-powered school buses, four gas-powered utility trucks, four electric school buses, one electric cart, and one diesel-powered utility truck. 

During the event, the attendees received an up-close look at how electric vehicles obtained through Monterey Air Resource Board grants have augmented the district’s transportation fleet, replacing less efficient diesel buses and adding electric food delivery vehicles to campus. 

Hollister High School also announced it was one of 14 schools in the state to receive a 2023 California Green Ribbon Schools award. 

Hollister High School students ceremonially flipped the switch on the new solar project that will make the campus more energy efficient. 

The district said in a news release its energy conservation and sustainability efforts have resulted in more than $1.5 million in energy savings over the past six years and are projected to reach or exceed $14 million in savings over the next 20 years. These figures, it said, are equivalent to removing 220 cars from the road, preserving 31,360 trees, and powering 157 Hollister homes each year.

The new 7,500-square-foot MOT building includes offices, a maintenance shop, and a transportation shop, all of which are part of the district’s long-term facilities plan. 

MOT manager Kristy Bettencourt said the building was constructed on the western edge of campus to keep bus routes away from pedestrian paths.

There was a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and unveiling of a plaque commemorating the efforts of the MOT staff. 

Students also received a certificate of recognition from the offices of Rivas and Caballero on behalf of Hollister High School. 

“Really proud to be here and all of our accomplishments. We have a tremendous team,” Tennenbaum said. “We’re blessed to have the people we have here and I’m honored to provide the community with what I think is a 21st-century modern high school.”