William Kwamkwamba was an eighth grader when he decided to build his first windmill. But he wasn't a typical teenager. He had dropped out of school in Malawi, Africa (his parents couldn't afford the $80 annual fees), to help his family forage for food in the countryside during a time of severe drought and famine.  He tried to sneak back into school but got caught and sent home....

He started spending his free time in the local library instead.  Over there, he came across a book called Using Energy which described how windmills could be used to generate electricity.  William imagined what a difference it would make if he could bring water and electricity to his village.  An electric windmill would allow people to read or study after dark and to pump water to double their crop yield.  In his words, a windmill would not just be a source of electric power, "it was freedom."  People called him misala or crazy but he didn't give up.  William spent every free moment at junkyards, going through trash bins in search of materials to build his windmill.  His story is moving, inspirational and heroic.  Read the book and his blog over the summer and find out how William kept moving forward, against all odds, to keep his dream alive.