Questions about
W.E.F.I.N.D. & FOCUS

W.E.F.I.N.D. is the Wilhelmina Euphemia Finch Institute for Natural Discovery - a fellowship of field naturalists stationed at research outposts across every major biome on Earth. The Institute documents the world's most extraordinary species and produces the W.E.F.I.N.D. species card collection used in the FOCUS afterschool program.

The Institute exists as the creative and educational framework behind the W.E.F.I.N.D. program. The species are all real, the science is real, and the educational mission is real. The field naturalists and their stations are fictional characters who bring the natural world to life for children.

Every single one. The W.E.F.I.N.D. archive contains only real, documented, scientifically verified species. The facts on every card are true. We chose these species precisely because the natural world is extraordinary enough without invention.

W.E.F.I.N.D. was created by Brent Thomas Hill, an entrepreneur with a background in senior creative roles at Microsoft and LEGO. The program was developed to celebrate the curious child - and to give them a community where that curiosity is the whole point.

Fellowship of Obsessively Curious Unapologetic Scholars. Every member of FOCUS is a Scholar of the Wilhelmina Euphemia Finch Institute for Natural Discovery.

FOCUS is designed for children aged 7-12. The sessions, the cards, and the gameplay are all calibrated for that range - though the curiosity it celebrates has no age limit.

Sessions run biweekly - once every two weeks - for 90 minutes per session. The program is designed to fit within an afterschool schedule.

FOCUS groups have a maximum of 20 Scholars per session, with a lead facilitator and one assistant. This keeps the group small enough for genuine conversation and connection.

Each session has four components: Show & Tell (what's the most interesting thing you learned this week?), Lightning Trivia (fast competitive natural history questions), From the Field (a facilitator-led presentation on an extraordinary species), and Game Time (W.E.F.I.N.D. card gameplay).

FOCUS is currently in active development with pilot conversations underway in Massachusetts. We are seeking school partners for our inaugural cohort.

Each starter pack contains 40 species cards, 10 gameplay cards, a natural wood collection box, a flat Field Kit tin, and a cream parchment welcome card. Every pack is randomized - no two Scholars receive the same collection.

Each starter pack includes 10 gameplay cards featuring the Institute's field naturalists. Every gameplay card has the same front - a macro photograph of the Maratus volans peacock spider. Flip it and a field specialist is revealed, along with their gameplay action.

Each species card has a unique activation code. Enter it at thefinchinstitute.org to unlock the full species profile - detailed field notes, biological data, and the complete Field Assessment. The digital archive grows as your collection grows.

Yes - though no rarity tier appears on any card. Some species are genuinely scarce in the collection. Children discover this naturally through trading and through the digital app, which shows how many times each species has been activated worldwide.

Absolutely - trading is a core part of the FOCUS experience. The randomized pack system means every Scholar has something different, and the scarcity of certain species makes trading genuinely meaningful.

The best way is to speak to your school's administration or afterschool coordinator about the program, and to get in touch with us directly. We work with schools to make the program happen.

FOCUS is funded through a combination of school district budgets, grants, and program fees. We are committed to ensuring that cost is never a barrier to the pursuit of wonder, knowledge, and curiosity. Families who need support are prioritized. Please reach out if cost is a concern.

Yes. Each activated card unlocks a full species profile at thefinchinstitute.org, which your child can access anytime. The digital archive is designed to extend the curiosity beyond the FOCUS session.

Sign up for our mailing list on the home page. We send occasional updates on program development, new species additions, and enrollment openings - nothing more.