When Bruce Rasmussen sought to improve a local water system in his role as a homeowners association president, he never dreamed that it would lead him to Washington, D.C.

Today, he will be honored at the White House as a Champion of Change and participate in activities designed to help the nation's leaders create high-quality jobs in the United States.

The White House Champions of Change Initiative spotlights Americans from all walks of life who are doing extraordinary things in their communities to "out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world," according to a news release.

A Vacaville resident, Rasmussen has been a teacher for 33 years and teaches third grade at Laurel Creek Elementary School in Fairfield, where he was named the school's 2010 Teacher of the Year.

But it was his accomplishment as president of the Peach Growers Tract Improvement Association that brought him to the attention of the White House.

Rasmussen led an effort to develop a solar water-pumping system, replacing a propane-powered system, to serve the 20 seasonal homes in the tract near Groveland and the entrance to Yosemite National Park.

About two years ago, the association installed a 100,000-gallon water storage tank and a solar-powered pump. Pumping 3 to 5 gallons per minute, it provides water for drinking and household use, and also supplies the National Forest Service with water for recreational uses and fire suppression.

"Without the homeowners' support, it would never have been done," Rasmussen said in a telephone interview.

The storage tank cost about $50,000 and the solar system, between $15,000 and $20,000. Rasmussen said the system operates eight to 10 hours per day, providing enough water for around-the-clock use throughout the summer. The system is decommissioned and the solar panels placed in storage during winter, when the homes typically are unoccupied.

During the Champions of Change conference, Rasmussen said he will advocate for federal grants to promote small solar projects like this one.

"I'm just one little guy who had a good idea. There are a lot of people out there who have good ideas," Rasmussen said, and they need an opportunity to put them into practice.

Rasmussen said his students at Laurel Creek Elementary were excited about his selection as a Champion of Change and his trip to the nation's capital.

He plans to retire from teaching at the end of the current school year, but he still has ideas for tweaking the water system.

With a few additional improvements, he said, "the system should be adequate for future generations."

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