Andy Swapp, Milford, UT
Local high school teacher and retired military sergeant Andy Swapp never imagined the impact he would have on his community, as well as the students in his classroom.
After years of noticing how the wind would pummel the side of his barn and whip sand across his field, he reached out to the state government to secure an anemometer to measure just how strong the gusts had been.
Under Andy's guidance, his students installed the tower and began tracking the power of wind. What began as an opportunity to teach his students about scientific experiments and technological measurements in a real-world setting quickly turned into a multimillion-dollar investment for the town of Milford, Utah.
The passion and energy these students had for understanding this local natural phenomenon spread through Milford and transformed the town into a wind power community, home to a 200-megawatt wind farm, powerful enough to supply energy to around 50,000 homes.
Andy's students that year have since moved on, and several sought out careers in renewable energy, becoming wind technicians and engineers-choosing a path laid by the curiosity of their high school teacher, Andy Swapp.
