My opinions and ideas of non-profit work with my issue are completely in line with those of the speakers, Max and Tara. From listening to their experiences, I learned that they focus on helping people by educating them. They believe that the best way to help people become more aware of the pressing issues around them is by teaching them about such issues, and how much better their lives will be if they are resolved. For example, Max teaches the residents of Linden, a low-income area in Columbus, about sustainable, affordable agriculture, and consequently their lives are positively impacted as they begin to adopt these farming techniques. Both Max and Tara’s actions in agriculture and employment services have proven that education is an effective way to alleviate modern issues. One new idea that I have considered after this class is possibly bringing education into public schools, as Max does in Linden. It is important to me that I teach the youth in my community about my issue, so that they have a personal connection to science, as well as NASA, and therefore have more incentive to take action on issues like inadequate funding for NASA. Perhaps, the best location for this learning experience is while these children are in school.

My biggest takeaway from this class session is that helping others does not come with a price tag, nor should it. Both Tara and Max do their jobs, not for the money, but because they want to help others in their community. They do not expect anything in return for their work, other than their beneficiaries having improved quality of life. For me, I want to teach people why it is important for NASA to get more funding, in hopes that they realize that their lives could be better as a result, and they will take action.

Personally, I would like to organize a group of scientists/ astronomers to go to local public schools and teach young students in elementary school about astronomy and space. I want kids today to learn about the interesting ideas that have come out of astronomy in which they may not have an education currently, like meteorology, the planets, the tides because of the moon, and the day and year length due to the Sun and Earth’s rotation.