SOLAR SPOTLIGHT: Access Youth Academy
| April 10, 2025
The mission of Access Youth Academy in San Diego, California is to transform the lives of underserved youth through academic enrichment, health and wellness, social responsibility and leadership using sports as a catalyst. Access Youth Academy believes every child should have equal access to achieve their full potential.
The organization’s work to support youth is now supported by a new solar system. We learned more about Access Youth Academy and their solar project from Shelby Coopwood, the organization’s Chief Operating Officer.
This loan was made possible by the generous participation of the BQuest Foundation. Click here for more information about the SunForAll program.
All photos courtesy of Access Youth Academy unless otherwise noted.
Who benefits from the programs and services you provide?
We serve low-income students, age 10–24, on their path to and through college, and beyond. We provide academic support, mentorship, college and career guidance, financial aid support, test preparation, and athletic training in the sports of squash and pickleball.
At our core, we are an educational program. We utilize sports as a vehicle to support students on their path to college, as well as for the enrichment that young people gain from participating in sports, such as leadership training and sportsmanship. Our students spend half of the time they’re here in the afternoon in the classroom working on their homework and getting tutoring, test preparation help, and support with college applications and career readiness.
In addition to our after-school program, we also have a PE program called Circle of Wellness, partnering with local schools whose students walk to our facility to attend free squash training for PE.
Our whole facility is a community center. We have conference spaces and classrooms available to the community, which we provide to nonprofits at no cost. We just installed two pickleball courts, which will provide us another revenue stream and also allow us to serve more students.
What sparked your organization’s interest in solar energy?
We wanted to install solar panels to become a more sustainable organization. As a nonprofit, financially, it also means huge savings. We’ve been paying $5,000–$8,000 a month for our electricity bills. Saving on those bills is a huge financial benefit for the students.
As a concrete example, it costs $10,000–$12,000 to take our students to Nationals, a huge squash tournament that we select our five best players to attend. We’re not always able to take students because of financial limitations, but once we are saving on our electricity bills with solar, we can directly funnel those funds into opportunities like this for students.
How will you use the savings generated by going solar to further support your mission?
Our 68 kW rooftop system was installed in January this year. The savings generated from the system will be put back into programs for the students we serve and allow us to offer more enrichment opportunities, such as college trips, travel tournaments, and pre-college summer programs.
“Our recent solar installation at Access Youth Academy represents more than just an environmental upgrade — it’s a direct investment in our students’ futures. Every dollar saved on energy costs is another dollar we can channel into our transformative 14-year program, supporting our students’ academic and athletic journeys. This sustainable solution aligns perfectly with our long-term commitment to both environmental stewardship and educational excellence. As we continue to empower underserved youth through education and sports, this solar installation demonstrates our innovative approach to maximizing resources for the benefit of our students.” — Shelby Coopwood, Chief Operating Officer
How will going solar impact your community?
Our solar project will provide a great opportunity to begin conversations with our students about sustainability. We also hope to share our story with the community and encourage other organizations nearby to go solar, too. We’re part of a nationwide network of organizations called Squash and Education Alliance, and we’d also love to share our story with them.
What did you learn in the process of going solar that other nonprofits should know?
Solar is accessible. Prior to going solar I would have thought we did not have excess funds to make going solar possible. But through CollectiveSun’s support and financing, it is possible. Working with CollectiveSun was a great experience that we’re grateful for; the project wouldn’t have been possible without CollectiveSun.
More nonprofits should be aware of this, because it’s a huge opportunity for savings that can then be funneled back into an organization’s programs.
What would you want people to know about your organization that they might not know?
I would like for more people to know that we’re here. The impact we make on students’ lives is transformational, and we have a really special program combining education, squash, pickleball, and community. As a nonprofit, we’re always looking for support — whether that be financial or volunteering, including as volunteer tutors and mentors. There are many ways to get involved, and we welcome people to reach out to us!
How would someone get in touch with your organization to learn more about your services?
Visit our website at https://www.accessyouthacademy.org or contact Shelby Coopwood at [email protected].
