Over the past four weeks I have had the privilege of teaching 102 kids, ages 9 through 16, at the Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering. At W.I.R.E., kids are under no pressure to score high grades, or to even attend classes. Yet, they kept good notebooks and worked in teams to overcome difficult problems—and they enjoyed themselves while they did it!

At W.I.R.E., where our motto is: “Young Minds! Real World Problems! Unique Solutions!”, we focus, not only on educating, but on exciting young people—allowing them to experience what it is like to work like an engineer. It is an opportunity we want to share with as many of our youth as possible.

In the coming weeks, W.I.R.E., in conjunction with Montgomery County Community College will be offering courses in: Alternative Energy, Building a Green Home, Aerospace Engineering—with a week devoted to the world of in-atmospheric flight and a week devoted to space flight—Basic Robotics, Advanced Robotics, Electronics and Nanotechnology.

Penn State Hazleton, in conjunction with W.I.R.E., recently offerred an Alternative Energy course attended by twenty-five students and some parents. Its focus was on why "going green" is important in our changing world.

Does any of this matter? Ask the young people who have gone through our programs and are about to go into the real world whether these types of courses influenced them into going into engineering careers. I bet that many would say that these courses changed their lives—and I know that they will be changing our lives in the future, for the better!

To learn about introducing you child to the world of technology, see: Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering, email, or call: (570) 401-7813.

Stephen Kew-Goodale