Goodbye and thank you.
The village was incredibly crowded on the last day! What a fitting testimonial to the success of the Solar Decathlon. People are hungry for information and keenly interested in the solar homes. We all feel the past two weeks have been extremely worthwhile.
To everyone who helped, thank you for working together to make the 2005 Solar Decathlon the greatest competition ever held. Collectively, you are the hardest working, most energetic, most inspiring group of people I have ever worked with. I am so proud to have had the privilege to work along side each one of you.
To our sponsors, thank you so much for supporting the Department of Energy in making the event possible. We value the partnerships that were formed, and the assistance you provided.
To the faculty advisors, thank you for providing the motivation and leadership that have been instrumental in inspiring your students to extend their collegiate learning experiences in new dimensions. Each of you has displayed your own unique blend of wisdom, patience, expertise, encouragement, and compassion. Your unwavering belief in the potential of your students has made the difference in this stunning demonstration of talent and skill on the National Mall.
To the students, thank you for showing the nation and the world that the future is now. I applaud each one of you for demonstrating the positive power of ingenuity and productivity. As you move on and enter into your careers, I expect you to continue to lead us to a brighter future!
Reporting from the village,
Richard King, Department of Energy