Invest in the Future of Renewables!
KidWind equips curious learners and educators with resources to explore renewable
energy in the classroom and beyond.
For over 10 years, we have been providing free KidWind Challenges and teacher
training workshops nationwide.
In 2014, we plan to expand our impact by hosting 35 KidWind Challenges in 19
states, plus a National KidWind Challenge competition.
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But as a
small business devoted to open-source curriculum and affordable educational tools,
finding funding for our ambitious goals can be difficult. We need at least
$2,000 to host a single Challenge, which means we’re looking at a $70,000 bill! That’s where you come in. Join the Future
of Renewables Initiative through Indiegogo to bring the KidWind Challenge to
more students and be a part of building a responsible energy future.
Please note: while our Indiegogo contribution levels are mainly symbolic, we
guarantee that your donation will go to piecing together a successful Challenge
and/or teacher training, if not going directly to the purpose indicated.
The big picture: Why we do what we do.
The United States has the capacity to lead
the world in renewable energy generation, with wind power being one of the most
promising sources. But to do so, we must build a foundation of informed public
support and educate a workforce to “design, build, operate, maintain, and
advance wind power equipment and technology” (US Department of Energy, “20%
Wind Energy by 2030,” July 2008).
This starts with effective education. That’s why KidWind strives to give students
and educators the background they need to think critically about renewable energy
and interactively explore its real-life applications. We do this through
several core initiatives:
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The KidWind Challenge: Student teams apply
their knowledge of wind or solar power to design and construct their very own wind
turbines. Teams win points for efficiency, creativity, and functionality. They
can compete in either the KidWind Challenge Online or a local KidWind Challenge
Event.
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Teacher Training Workshops: The KidWind
Challenge is integrated into our broader educational work. In preparation for a
Challenge Event, KidWind conducts teacher trainings to help educators bring
renewable energy concepts into their classrooms and motivate students to join
in on the competition. Working with teachers creates long-lasting change at the
community level and builds capacity for the future.
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KidWind Learning Resources: Our NGSS standards-based
teaching tools explore the science behind wind, solar, and other forms of
renewable energy and their impact on the environment. We believe that education
should be accessible and fun, so we developed hands-on classroom kits and
open-source curriculum called WindWise to get students thinking critically
about clean energy.
Learn more on our website.
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Other ways to help out.
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Spread the word about our campaign! Share our
initiative on Facebook and Twitter, or even through good old-fashioned
conversation (gasp!)
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Volunteer or let people know about an
upcoming Challenge Event near you.
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Visit our website to learn more about our other projects and
how you can help us achieve our goals.