LOS ANGELES, CA (July 16, 2025) —The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has partnered with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to provide over $100,000 towards their HEROES for Zero Contest, an initiative promoting energy conservation and education among Los Angeles youth. As part of the “HEROES for Zero” Contest, LAUSD instructed their schools on the optimal use of renewable energy and challenged LAUSD students to find ways to save energy and boost energy efficiency. Participating schools submitted videos showcasing their energy efficiency projects which ranged from constructing model solar panel shades for outdoor playgrounds to developing brochures that advocate for energy conservation practices to hosting school-wide sustainability weeks.
The top three teams—Castelar Elementary School, Woodland Hills Humanities Magnet, and Santee Education Complex—each earned $25,000 toward sustainability initiatives at their schools. Additionally, seven semi-finalists were awarded $5,000 each: Eagle Rock Elementary, Noble Avenue Elementary, Open Magnet Charter School, Pacoima Middle School, Elizabeth Learning Center, Chatsworth Charter High School and G+STEAM Magnet Center, and Cesar Chavez Learning Academies. All schools received their checks at LAUSD’s contest recognition ceremony in May. Funding for the contest was provided by LADWP’s Distributed Energy Solutions Division, which oversees the largest public power portfolio of energy efficiency programs in the nation.
“We’re proud of our young heroes whose creativity and commitment to energy efficiency are paving the way for Zero Net Energy schools. Thank you to LADWP for the continuous support and congratulations to all 2023–24 HEROES for Zero Contest participants!” LAUSD’s Chief Eco-Sustainability Officer, Christos Chrysiliou said.
“Our ongoing partnership with LAUSD has resulted not only in significant energy savings but also in building awareness and environmental stewardship among L.A.’s youth,” said Janisse Quiñones, LADWP CEO and Chief Engineer. “With programs like HEROES for Zero, we can advance sustainability efforts with real impacts today while ensuring that the next generation can carry on the same commitment to conservation and a clean energy future!”
Beyond the “HEROES for Zero” contest, LADWP has collaborated with LAUSD on other sustainability projects, including supporting the district’s retrofitting of energy-efficient lighting systems, implementing high-efficiency plumbing retrofits across campuses, installing water recycling systems for purposes such as landscape irrigation, and investing in the development of various environmental technologies like advanced water-use monitoring systems.
For more information about the HEROES to Zero contest, please visit https://www.lausd.org/Page/19869.
About LADWP:
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is the nation’s largest municipal water and electric utility, with 8,007 megawatts (MW) of electric capacity and serving an average of 435 million gallons of water per day to the more than four million residents of Los Angeles, its businesses and visitors. For more than 100 years, LADWP has provided the city with reliable water and power service in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible manner. With a workforce of nearly 12,000 employees, LADWP is guided by the five-member Board of Water and Power Commissioners, appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.
About LAUSD:
LAUSD, the second-largest school district in the nation, serves more than 429,000 students from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade. Through its Office of Eco-Sustainability, LAUSD collaborates with local organizations such as LADWP to reduce energy consumption, decrease its carbon footprint, and raise awareness regarding energy conservation and climate change across its campuses and within the broader Los Angeles community.
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