An email I received earlier today (which I'll get to in a minute) tipped me off to non-profit organization KidWind,
...a team of teachers, students, engineers and practitioners exploring the science behind wind energy in classrooms around the US. Our goal is to introduce as many people as possible to the elegance of wind power through hands-on science activities which are challenging, engaging and teach basic science principles.KidWind, as I discovered while digging deeper into its site, is the brainchild of former science teacher Michael Arquin, who also is the organization -- he serves as "Director, Webmaster, Curriculum Designer and Workshop Presenter" all from his basement in St. Paul, Minnesota. That's a lot of roles to play, but it looks like Michael does well with them: he's attracted support from some major government agencies and corporations, and has introduced his curriculum to hundreds of school teachers through the workshops he conducts. To get a taste of what happens at a KidWind workshop, take a look at this news story that a local news program in the Northeast ran when KidWind came to town.
While improving science education is our main goal, we also aim to help schools become important resources for students, and the general public, to learn about and see wind energy in action.
This definitely sounds like an organization worth supporting, and that's where the email I received came in. One of the participants in the Western Wind Energy "Wind Blows" viral video competition (which we covered on Treehugger) has promised to donate half of the prize money ($5000) to KidWind should they win the grand prize. They produced the "Dutch" video (which is pretty clever). Vote as you see fit, of course (should you choose to vote at all), but if you think "Dutch" is the best of the group, make sure to give them a click in support of their work and their promise to help fund Kidwind's worthy educational outreach.
Categories: wind, energy, organization, education, teachers, video, viral, contest, minnesota, us
