Lemelson-MIT and Haverhill Public Schools receive $400,000 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to advance clean energy career pathways for high school students
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (November 21, 2025) — The Lemelson-MIT Program (LMIT), Haverhill High School (HHS), New England Invents (NEI), and a broad network of community collaborators are joining forces to offer Haverhill High School students opportunities to explore clean energy careers and to engage in projects that will jump start their work on inventions and innovations that have the potential to move this growing field forward. Students will develop technical skills and other workforce competencies, such as teamwork and collaboration, needed to contribute to one of today’s fastest-growing industries.
“LMIT has worked with high school educators and teams of high school students across the U.S. for more than 20 years. 19 high school teams have earned patents for their work. Our experience has taught us that the ability to find problems that matter and develop technical solutions to those problems will be an invaluable asset as students navigate future careers,” said Dr. Stephanie Couch, Executive Director of LMIT.
Students at Haverhill High School will benefit from clean energy curriculum integrated into environmental science and other core subjects, as well as field trips, an annual school-wide Clean Energy Invent-a-Thon and Career Expo, and paid internships offered by LMIT in collaboration with NEI. Through these internships, students will identify a clean energy-related need that resonates with them and their communities, and will receive support as they design a potential solution with real-world impact. This innovative approach also introduces students to small business development and the entrepreneurial ecosystem driving clean energy progress across the Greater Boston region.
“Through this program, our students gain exposure to the clean energy workforce while building the communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills that employers value most,” said Victoria Kelley, Supervisor of Career Technical Education (CTE) K–12 for Haverhill Public Schools. “They’ll see firsthand how innovation and collaboration drive change and how they can be part of shaping that future.”
This forward-thinking collaboration reflects a shared commitment by Haverhill High School, LMIT, and NEI to prepare students for emerging careers in clean energy, sustainability, and technology, while empowering them to envision and build a better future for their communities.
ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM
The Lemelson-MIT program is a national leader in efforts to prepare the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs. Our work focuses on the expansion of opportunities for all young people to learn ways inventors find and solve problems that matter. We are devoted to bringing invention education opportunities to all students. Our commitment aims to promote equal opportunity for students from all backgrounds to identify problems, develop inventions, protect their intellectual property, and commercialize their creations.
Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history’s most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering at MIT, an institution with a strong ongoing commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for K-14 STEM education. For more information, visit Lemelson.MIT.edu.
ABOUT HAVERHILL HIGH SCHOOL
Haverhill High School, a large urban school in the Merrimack Valley with 1,922 students, serves a diverse and significant at-risk population. Guided by a shared vision of expanding equitable opportunities, HHS is committed to delivering meaningful outcomes for all students and increasing access to livable-wage STEM careers. By expanding access to industry training, offering industry certifications, and providing career awareness, exploration, and immersion opportunities, HHS creates clear pathways to post-secondary success. In doing so, the school fosters local economic growth, strengthens the STEM workforce, and advances equity for underrepresented populations.
ABOUT NEW ENGLAND INVENTS
New England Invents is the nation’s oldest 501(c)(3) supporting independent inventors, helping innovators turn ideas into patentable, manufacturable, commercial products. NEI offers monthly seminars, in-person networking, one-on-one consulting, and product pitch sessions. Its mission is to foster inclusive innovation by expanding access to inventor education, patent ownership, and product commercialization. NEI recently launched two initiatives: one for K–12 students with mentorship programs and a Youth Advisory Board, and another for military veterans and families, supported by a Military Advisory Board to guide tailored programs for careers in independent inventing.
Haverhill School Committee
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month in the Theodore A. Pelosi, Jr. Council Chambers, 4 Summer Street in Haverhill. Citizens of Haverhill who wish to submit items for a meeting agenda should email the agenda item to the School Committee Office, Attn: Beverly McGillicuddy, Secretary to the Haverhill School Committee beverly.mcgillicuddy@haverhill-ps.org with a copy to both the Superintendent of Schools and the Mayor no later than the seven (7) days prior to a Committee meeting is held.
For additional information please visit the School Committee Department on our website.
Mayor, Melinda E. Barrett, Chairperson
mayor@cityofhaverhill.com
Attorney Paul Magliocchetti, Vice Chairperson
pmagliocchetti@haverhill-ps.org
Ms. Yonnie Collins, Ward 6
yonnie.collins@haverhill-ps.org
Ms. Erica Diaz, Ward 1
erica.diaz@haverhill-ps.org
Ms. Cheryl Ferguson, Ward 3
cheryl.ferguson@haverhill-ps.org
Dr. Thomas Grannemann, Ward 7
thomas.grannemann@haverhill-ps.org
Mrs. Mikaela Lalumiere, Ward 4
mikaela.lalumiere@haverhill-ps.org
Attorney Richard Rosa, At-Large
richard.rosa@haverhill-ps.org
Ms. Maura Ryan-Ciardiello, At-Large
mryan-ciardiello@haverhill-ps.org
Dr. Jill Story, Ward 5
jill.story@haverhill-ps.org
Ms. Gail Sullivan, Ward 2
gail.sullivan@haverhill-ps.org
Mrs. Beverly McGillicuddy, Secretary
beverly.mcgillicuddy@haverhill-ps.org
