Starting this privately run, scientific Non-profit was quite a challenge, there were very few them to emulate. In the beginning, everyone we came into contact with, regarding WEC, was supportive and excited about what we were trying to do. Starting something like WEC from scratch takes time (I may be a little impatient at times), but now we are starting to see a good deal of progress and the future looks great. At our last public event the response was almost overwhelming. Young and old alike surrounded our booth and I and a hand full of volunteers answered questions and demonstrated some of what we do at WEC. I was very pleased with the response from the public, it just reaffirms and redoubles my efforts to make the WEC Institute a premier research and development non-profit.

Students throughout the US need to see the application of curriculum to the "real" world. The Institute is essential for helping math and science students apply their knowledge into functional actions. Robotics and green energy investigation is the direction we need to expand for student access and efficiency.

WEC is the perfect opportunity for volunteers. It is fun, challenging and worthwhile. My own experience with interactive education for youth has been very rewarding. WEC's approach is practical, very personable and very diverse in it's scope. I love volunteering for this organization. At Maker Faire we ran a display to explain the effects of erosion and talked about new ways to initiate erosion control. It was amazing to see the children and adults interact, think about the problem and strive to offer solutions. Many of the kids were going to make this into a science project at school.

I finally found something worthwhile. I've never had the sense that what I was doing really mattered in the grand scheme of things until now. The work we're doing has the potential to really make a positive difference for this planet and its inhabitants. It is amazing to realize that we just sparked an idea in someone. A person recently stated, "I have never considered volunteering for an organization like WEC." That person, who never though of themselves as having anything to offer, now realizes they do. And that they, one person, can make a difference. We've changed their life. They in turn may change the life of others. For me, it's simple. Just knowing that I, in some way, had a small part in all of this is really satisfying.