For years, Sergio Ballesteros traveled the world and worked with inquisitive minds.

Now, the Santa Clarita native is trying to find a way to connect the two.

Ballesteros grew up in the Santa Clarita Valley, attending Arroyo Seco Junior High, Canyon High School and Saugus High School. He taught at Bowman High School among others in the Los Angeles County area.

“I was teaching the students about the French Revolution at West Adams Preparatory High in South Los Angeles,” Ballesteros said. “The Egyptian Revolution was happening at the same time, and I wanted to give my students information about the current events.”

Ballesteros had a friend who was living in Cairo and video-chatted the friend on a projector in his classroom, he said. The students asked Ballesteros’ friend “human questions” like what he ate.

“I thought, ‘Why can’t everyone do this and how do we create that platform,’”  he said.

Ballesteros is CEO of WEConnect, a business idea that is currently in its beginning stages.

“I thought, how much would high school students like to speak to someone in a career field they’re interested in or meet someone who attends a college they’re interested in,” Ballesteros said adding that he has also worked with connecting families who share similar challenges such as diseases.

WEConnect could be used by those who are trying to find more information from a real person about diseases, news, careers.

“For me, the goal is to make people accessible to each other while creating a safe environment,” he said.

He has traveled to dozens of countries and almost all of the 50 U. S. states, according to his website.

“I live back here again and not a day goes by that I don’t run into someone that I know–former students, former friends and/or colleagues,” Ballesteros said. “I love Santa Clarita, and it will always be home for me. It has changed a lot in 22 years, but I think, at it’s core, it will always be a small town and I love that about it.”

While WEConnect may be similar to Roadtrip Nation, an organization that connects students to working professionals in various careers and that has held events with Bowman High School for years, Ballesteros said.

“I’ve sent them a couple things,” he said. “I think they’re spaces there for collaboration. I’m more interested in getting in contact with everyday people.”

For now, Ballesteros is working to raise money to create the website platform and start the WEConnect business.

He is hoping to raise $100,000 in 30 days and has raised $13,640 in the first four.  The campaign is scheduled to end on Dec. 4.

“$100,000 will give us what we need to build this platform. That will give us something usable, that people will start using,” Ballesteros said. “Once we have something build, then we have investors interested in investing the larger money that everyday people can’t. That seems like the best path towards success. If we don’t raise the $100,000, we’ll have to figure out other plans.”

Ballesteros said he has some backup ideas but is hoping the current campaign will be successful.

“My hope and my dream would be to be able to have WEConnect functioning by March,” he said. “My ultimate goal is simple. I just want to make it easy, safe and simple to connect with other people around the world.”

For more information about WEConnect, visit the Indiegogo website or Facebook page.

Photos courtesy of WEConnect.