Harrington School shines brighter with energy efficiency upgrades

The City of Harrington, nestled in the heart of Eastern Washington's wheat country, epitomizes small-town America.

With just under 430 residents, it's a tight-knit community where neighbors know and support each other and share a strong sense of belonging.

"I like small-town life. It's good to know your neighbor and be known. There's comfort in that," said long-time resident Anthony 'Tony' Hamilton.

At the center of this community is the historic Harrington School, where 140 students attend preschool through grade 12. Constructed in the 1950s, the design centers around an indoor pool built in the 1930s. Its large lunchroom divides the elementary and high school classes.

When you enter the building, images of former students line the walls, capturing moments from its rich past.

"There is a class picture dating back to 1918," said Tony. "We have alumni who came back and recognized family members. It's fun."

Tony worked for 19 years as the school's transportation/maintenance supervisor. He retired in 2022 and won a seat on the school board in 2023, serving a four-year term.

"In these little towns, if you lose your school, you lose the town," said Tony. "The school plays a vital role in the community."

When school isn't in session, the single-story brick building serves as a community center where residents use it for various functions. Over the years, the school has provided a venue for plays, concerts, church services, family gatherings, sporting events, birthday parties, bingo nights and meetings.

One unique gathering was for a large family who rented the entire school for their Thanksgiving celebration.

"They needed a large space and wanted to use the whole building, including the gym," said Harrington School Office Manager Kelli Tanke.

Kelli grew up in Harrington and graduated with a class of four. She has worked at the school for 21 years and, like Tony, sees it as an essential part of the community.

"I love our little community and our school," said Kelli. "We're more than happy for people to come and use the facility if they treat it respectfully."

However, given its aging infrastructure, the building needs updates. The roof was recently replaced, and the school district is pursuing grants to make the pool usable again.

Upgrading the school's lighting has also been on the to-do list. Although it was a priority project in 2023, the school didn't have the resources to cover such an extensive upgrade.

That's where Avista stepped in to help.

The entire project cost was covered by a grant from Avista's Named Communities Investment Fund (NCIF)* combined with an incentive from its Small Business Partner Program, open to all Washington and Idaho small business Avista customers. Through the Small Business Partner Program, a licensed contractor works with the Avista customer to learn about their energy-saving project, identify available Avista rebates and services, provide a project bid, and be available for installation.

For this project, local contractor Arctic Lighting & Electric replaced all the outdated lights inside and outside with energy-efficient LEDs, leading to significant energy savings for the school.

"Avista was phenomenal the whole time," said Kelli. "They worked hard to find ways to help pay for the entire project."

Now, as students walk through the hallways of Harrington School, the new energy-efficient lights brighten the path ahead, symbolizing a future full of promise while illuminating the rich history that has shaped the community.

"We felt it was important to help the Harrington School District because it not only supports the school but also the entire community," said Lorri Kirstein, Avista energy efficiency program manager.

Avista's Named Communities Investment Fund (NCIF) was approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission as part of the company's Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP) to meet compliance targets for the state's Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA, 2019). The NCIF will invest up to $5 million annually in projects, programs, and initiatives that benefit Avista's Washington electric customers residing in highly impacted and vulnerable communities (i.e., "Named Communities"). Community-based projects will be selected for funding through a competitive grant application process. Application information and eligibility guidelines can be found at myavista.com/NCIF.