Space Education Center Volunteer Receives Lifesaving Honor Medal

One of our Space Education Center volunteers was awarded a rare honor for his brave actions last summer when he fought and wrestled off a large pit bull that was attacking his mother on their front porch.
"Only a handful of these awards are handed out each year (nationwide)," said Delyle Johnson, a local representative from Boy Scouts of America who presented Collin Jensen with the award during a court of honor. Jensen received the Lifesaving Honor Medal for "unusual heroism and skill in saving or attempting to save life at considerable risk to self," according to the National Court of Honor. He was mowing a neighbor's lawn next door on the evening of July 21 when the young Scout saw the pit bull run into his yard and attack a small dog that a neighbor had entrusted his family to watch while she went on vacation.
"He screamed for help and I came running out the front door," his mother Andrea Jensen said. "The dog had already ripped open the underside of the little schnauzer and there was blood all over the porch." When Andrea Jensen bent over to help her son save the dog from the pit bull's bite it leapt at her, knocking her on her back, she said.
"The bites were on both of her hands and had broken the skin," Orem police stated in their report. Collin "punched, pulled and pushed the dog away" so his mother could get to her feet and retreat inside the house, she said. The dog, however, wasn't done and followed her.
Andrea Jensen said she slammed the dog in the door a few times while it attempted to burst in after her, she said. But her son "kept fighting; he just kept punching it the whole time so we could shut it out and escape."
Witnessing the bloody battle affected Collin Jensen's 7-year-old sister enough she had to receive counseling.
The award was a surprise for the Orem High junior.
Congratulations to Collin! This speaks highly of the type of individuals we have volunteering at the Space Center.

The Space Education Center Takes a Vacation!

Hello Troops,
We’ve made it to Spring Break! There was joy throughout the land. I can’t describe how needed this vacation is for all of us at the Space Center. We’ve been working morning, noon and night running mission after mission trying to keep up with the demand. Crazy was one word used to describe it by one of the Flight Directors. I compared our numbers with last year and discovered we are running a record breaking season in attendance and missions run.
Most businesses would bless the increase but we aren’t most businesses. Our Center is run by one full time employee, a couple dozen part timers, and over one hundred volunteers - all busy with their own lives. Many are students with school pressures and teen age social lives
that require some of their attention. The 24 hour day can only be sliced into so many pieces. This increase brings in more money but perhaps not enough to compensate for the wear and tear on the employees and volunteers.
A message to my staff, Thank you for the time you give the Center. I know you could get a job almost anywhere else that pays more but you don’t. You realize that working here has some advantages - we are a really cool place and you work with tremendous people. You are a part of something not found anywhere else in the world but right here in Pleasant Grove. That keeps many of you here year after year. Our low turn over is a blessing to me. Running our simulators takes extensive training. It isn’t flipping burgers. A high turnover would lead to disruptions in service and that would lead to a lowering of quality.
So, in a nutshell we all need this vacation. Rest and do something completely different if you can. Let the batteries charge and come back a week from Monday ready to take the Center to the end of the school year.

Mr. Williamson

A Student's Dream Come True!

There is one satisfying benefit from seating students on the Voyager bridge as they ascend the spiral staircase - you hear their comments as they see the bridge for the first time. Some exclamations are worthy of repeat, if I could remember them. I'll hear something that brings a smile to my face and a rush of satisfaction and make a mental note to jot it down, only to forget a few minutes later. It is like my brain's files are full to overflowing and anything new I attempt to bulldoze in stays momentarily and then dissipates like a vapor to the wind. It is like George's wallet on Sienfield - for you fans of the show. You wonder if my mental stability parallels the condition of his wallet? Perhaps it does so think twice before pushing me too far.......... ;).

One sixth grader's comment a week ago found a resting place in the chaos of my thoughts. I want to share it with you.
"Oh my Gosh...... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he slowly came up the stairs. His head turned from side to side taking in every aspect of the bridge. I was concerned that he would trip on the steps. He wasn't looking where his feet were going. The eye candy of the set was too much for his 11 year old nervous system.
"Oh my Gosh....... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he stumbled right past me into the center of the bridge. I had my hand out to take his boarding pass but he didn't notice. Who was I anyway - some person?
"Oh my Gosh...... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he centered himself under the 1/2 sphere on the ceiling and turned slowly - his arms semi-outstretched, resembling a pilgrim before the statue of his revered saint. I walked in front of him and asked for his boarding pass. He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.
"Your boarding pass," I asked.
"Oh my Gosh....... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he held it in the general direction of my hand. I took it from him. I looked at it. Written under his name was his position, right wing power. I took him by the shoulders and pointed him in the right direction.
"You are in the last chair of this row," I said gently while pushing him toward the right wing knowing he needed the extra energy to get his legs to move. He got half way to his chair and stopped. He turned toward me and spoke with a religious fever rarely heard even in testimony meeting.
"I want you to know that this is what I've dreamed about my whole life! I've finally made it! I'm on a Starship! OH MY GOSH!"
Although reactions to the Space Center are rarely that emotional, 99% of first timers ascending the spiral stairs are very excited and a bit overwhelmed by what they see. Can you believe that of all places on the Earth, in the middle of Pleasant Grove, not Las Vegas, not Orlando, not New York City, London, or Los Angeles there are six starships ready to take children on edventures in the universe of wonder.
Sometimes the magic of the Space Center wears thin for those of us that see it daily. I find myself looking for and seeing the imperfections. I find myself on a quest to find ways to improve the Center and our programs and then becoming disillusioned when the obstacles of money and bureaucracy act as mountainous speed bumps in the road. At those times I reflect on my memory of students coming up the spiral stairs for the first time. I shake my head to clear my thoughts and then, once again, as in the beginning - I see the forest despite the trees.


Mr. Williamson

A Few Thoughts from Mr. Williamson

Staff, Volunteers, Students and Campers;

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you stressed to the point of breaking? Are you tossing and turning at night when you should be sleeping. Are you sleeping in class when you should be learning? Perhaps you suffer from a desease called: IWANTTODOEVERYTHINGBUTIDONTHAVETHETIMEBUTIMNOTWILLINGTOCUT
SOMETHINGSOUTSOILLJUSTKEEPDOINGEVERYTHINGUNTILIDROPitus.

If you suffer from this aliment and are looking for a magic cure I want to assure you that there isn't one. There are only 24 hours in a day and nothing you do will increase that. You may choose to sleep less and thus cheat on the day by stealing hours from night but that therapy will fail over time. Soon your sanity will surrender to insanity and you'll be found doing cartwheels down State Street in your underwear!

A bit of balance is what the doctor orders. To avoid going 'GaGa'. To avoid falling asleep at your desk in school and drooling over your notes may I suggest you take a look at your schedule and decide if everything you're juggling is really necessary. You may need to cut some things out to save a few hours for other things to bring balance to your life and sunshine to your soul. Here are a few ideas.

1. Reserve time for some kind of activity. Many participate in a sport. Whatever you do to keep your heart beating is good. A healthy body is more alert. You'll spend less time sick. Physical activity is a must in any daily schedule. This is an order!
2. Give your education your very best. This is your future. Any shortcuts in this section of your time will be lasting. Shoot for the 'A'.
3. Community and / or faith. I believe everyone needs to give something back to the community. Considering volunteering for a few hours per month in a school or other organization. Giving of ourselves keeps us unselfish and gives you insights on how blessed you really are. Community and Faith gives you an anchor during troubled times.
4. Reserve time to be a kid. You need to hang out with your friends. You need to go to a movie and listen to your music. You need time to unwind. Don't feel guilty for taking time for friends. Just remember to keep it clean and follow your parent's guidelines. They've been there before and know the potholes in life's road you should avoid.
5. Don't forget your family. Teenagers find themselves wanting to spend more time with friends and less time with family. This sometimes causes parent's to 'freak out'. They've raised you all these years and find it tough to let you start creating a life of your own. Help your parents through this tough time by not neglecting your family. Don't cut them out of your decision making. Keep the lines of communication open. You'll see the apron strings loosen if you take time to talk to mom and dad on a regular basis. Shutting yourself away in your room or always hiding behind your ipod is the wrong approach. Weekly time for Mom and Dad is a must. Trust me - you'll be happier and they'll be happier.

Your life should be a careful balance of the items above. Try to keep this balance and I believe you'll be happier and more successful.

Mr. Williamson

Weekly Update from the Space Center

Our Condolences to Mrs. Houston

On Monday we learned that Mrs. Houston's father passed away. Lorraine is a teacher at the Space Center. She has been with us for nearly fifteen years. Lorraine took the week off to spend with her mother and family and will return to the Center on Monday, March 31st. Our condolences to Lorraine and her family.

A Busy Week

Busy isn't the word to describe last week at the Center. The simulators were running morning, noon, and night. By Saturday 5:00 P.M. the wear on the staff was obvious. It was all I could do to keep from curling up on the floor behind my desk and going to sleep for several hours. Brittany (Magellan Flight Director) came staggering in from the Magellan and collapsed into the desk chair opposite mine in the Briefing room. "I'm too tired to get up," she kept repeating. I told her sister Nicole, a supervisor in the Magellan, to carry her to the car and get her home to bed. Brittany and Nicole started work Friday afternoon at 4:00 P.M. It was now Saturday 5:30 P.M. - a long 25 + hours! Several of the other Saturday staff were there since Friday. Many already put in long hours during the week with school field trips and private missions.

We have two months of mind breaking days ahead. Some simulators will be running four missions a day nearly everyday. Luckily we have new flight directors on hand to help with the load. Good news as well - Emily Perry will be returning from university in April to help with the Magellan and Odyssey missions. We have a challenge but it is good to be busy. It means we are doing our job well and our students appreciate our work.

New Flight Directors

I've appointed two volunteers as new Flight Directors. Jordan F is approved to FD in the Phoenix and Christine S will be a new Odyssey FD. Both are full of energy and enthusiastic. They both work well with our campers.

Aleta Clegg New Office Assistant

Troops, I can't keep doing everything. I was slowly getting buried in my work load and not getting home until late. Aleta Clegg saw a need and stepped forward to fill it. She offered to

take on several of my office duties. This will free me up to spend more time on missions and flight directing. I also look forward to spending time with the Flight Directors in their simulators helping them sharpen their skills. Aleta is booking all students for summer camp and taking care of the YahooGroup database. She handles many of the phone calls as well.

Thank you Aleta!

Wrap Up

My thanks to our wonderful staff and volunteers for the many hours, paid and unpaid, you spend at the Center creating our one of a kind EdVentures. My thanks to our campers and students for coming to the Center. You are why we are here. Let us know how we are doing by sending me an email: director@spacecamputah.org. I'd like to know what we are doing right and how we can improve.

Mr. Williamson

Director

The Space Center's Brent Anderson is Named A Sterling Scholar

"As chief technical officer at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center in Pleasant Grove, I have been able to reach out to the community through service while refining my own capabilities in leadership and business. The Space Center provides educational and entertaining space flight simulations to elementary school students in Utah Valley. When I accepted the position in 2005, I was given neither instruction nor assistance. Since then. I have created their entire programming department, given hundreds of hours to several projects, created marketing campaigns, taught technology and business to junior high-age students and revolutionized the way the Space Center educates and entertains students from across the country. This experience has been vital in my development as a businessman and as a member of society. Working there has helped me develop people skills, make executive decisions and experience the 'real world' with a safety net. I have had an opportunity to experiment, practice and implement my own ideas in a stable environment."
"I plan to obtain a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from BYU. I will go on to receive a joint MBA/juris doctorate, lending me the business, legal and technical skills to handle my own startup businesses. "My greatest dream in entrepreneurship is to found a nonprofit mentoring organization for teenagers. This organization would partner teen entrepreneurs with volunteer businesspeople, accountants and attorneys, guiding them through the process of starting and running a business."

SCHOLARSHIP: Ranks 43 out of 531; overall GPA is 3.9; 33 composite ACT.
AWARDS AND PROJECTS: Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center chief technical officer; Forkaster publicity editor; consulting services; Student of the Month for Counseling and Business; National Merit Semifinalist; high honor roll; academic letters in German, math, English and Renaissance; Business Law Skill Certificate; IC3 Certification; trumpet section leader; BYU senior projects judicator; BusinessQ Rookie of the Year; journalism publicity editor; German National Honor Society; American Fork City Youth Council; Youth Committee Chairman.

FRONT | INTRO. | CATEGORIES | NOMINEES | FINALISTS | WINNERS

Are You Ready for a Challenge? Try This!

New Records for Midnight Rescue on the Voyager!

Today two records were set in the Voyager for our school mission “Midnight Rescue”.
Eaglecrest Elementary sent two of its sixth grade classes for our regular field trip.
There were 32 students in each class. While one class takes the astronomy lesson and planetarium presentation the other class is in the simulators. The AM mission started right on time. The captain seemed rather confident. “I play a lot of strategy games,” he told me as I was setting him up with his radio headphones. “As if that will help,” I thought to myself. It was rather cynical but this is the time of year with I get that way.

The mission started. The captain impressed me. He stayed focused and attentive. He paid attention to detail and listened. His decisions were spot on. He seemed to know what to do in every situation. When all was said and done they ended with a 0 score!
A perfect score is -3. They beat the record set by Deerfield Elementary.

The afternoon crew boarded the simulator at 11:45 A.M. They were great kids.
I hesitated to score them. I didn’t want them to leave with 7 strikes and have to hear about the 0 score from the other class while on the bus for 40 minutes. The mission started and strangely enough they were rolling through with errors. I think the teacher was giving them suggestions on what to say during the debates which helped but not enough for me to disqualify the class. At the end of the mission they also scored a 0!

Two classes from the same school on the same day with 0 scores. I don’t think a day like this will be repeated. Congratulations to Eaglecrest Elementary for a job well done.

Mr. Williamson

The Power of Suggestion

Magellan Simulator Security Officers Discuss Options with Staff

By Alex A.
Space Center Programming Guild

A few weeks back, I was doing bridge on the voyager. This was a slightly older group (about 14-15 years old) and they were running 'Midnight Rescue.' They were doing a pretty good job, and eventually transported the New Earth engineer (Sierra, a Central worker) onboard. The security quickly dispatched her and brought her up to the brig. After a few minutes, the engineer stirred and the security officer quickly grabbed his interrogation papers and began badgering the helpless engineer. The engineer curled up in the corner and didn't say a word. Discouraged, the security officer emerged from the brig and walked up to me. He said "What am I doing wrong? She won't tell me a thing!" I thought for a moment, and then told him "Well, maybe you are being too harsh with her. She might feel more comforted if you talk to her kindly." I told him to act like his best friends mom would act to him. He stood there for a moment, probably thinking "He wants me to do that!?! He's crazy!" But eventually he walked back to the brig with his clipboard and warily stepped in. The engineer looked up at him, and then resumed her original position. He walked closer to her and said something like "Are you alright? It's okay, don't worry." Remember that this is a 14-15 year old guy. I smiled and returned to the bridge. A few minutes later I decided to check up on the conversation and saw the security officer crouched down next to her, talking with the engineer in that same soothing voice. I saw a few of the questions filled in on his clipboard. It amazed me that I was able to make this security officer warm up to this engineer so much by just telling him to.

I guess that is all.

Alex A

Why Limited Super 17 Hour Overnight Camps and No Leadership Camp.

Greetings from Mr. Herring!
Subject: Super 17 Hour Overnighters and Teenager Leadership Camp
We have had several emails expressing disappointment about our age limitations for Super Overnight Camps and the disappearance of our Leadership Camp from the summer schedule. I want to apologize to our older campers that wanted to participate in a Leadership Camp or a Super 17 Hour Overnighter. First, let me tell you how hard it was for us to make this year's summer camp schedule. We knew we couldn't accommodate the demand for longer camps, especially the Super 17 Hour Overnighters and the Leadership Camps because of the following reasons:
• Most of the older students wishing to registering for the Super 17 Hour Overnight Camps have already done our mission "Canada". With so many students wanting to go, and with limited availability (remember we only allow 19 per camp), we thought it would be wise to give everyone the experience when they are young and allow them to attend only one.
• Super Overnighters and Leadership Camps are difficult to produce. In the past, I have spent at least one hundred hours to prepare a mission that will be run 2 times during a summer season (USS Canada for the 5th and 6th graders and Maelstrom for 7th and 8th grades). The Leadership camp is slightly different. I'm not preparing mission stories but I am scheduling camp activities—field trips, buses, food, classes, guest speakers, and mission schedules.
• In the past, I was a full-time employee of the Space Center. I am now part time and have a another job that demands a minimum of 40 hours per week. It is a better paying job with health benefits. I can't donate as many hours to the Center as I did in the past.
Because of limited time, I have decided that my volunteer hours at the Space Center will be used for:

A. Maintaining the Simulators of the Center.
B. Developing my new overnight story, "A Matter of Honor" for the Voyager, which will premier this summer on Overnight Missions.
C. Starting and directing the Space Center's new Community Outreach Program (fan club) called "The Explorers Club". Expect news on this club very soon. Trust me, you will love this club. There will be opportunities for more Super Overnighters and Leadership Camps for campers aged 10 through 17.
D. Raising money for the construction of a new Galileo and a refit of the USS Voyager.

As you can all see, with a full time job, personal life and my part time job at the Space Center I am already burning the candle at both ends! Thanks for your support and understanding. Thank you for your enthusiasm for the Center. I look forward to working with you in the new Explorers Club. Keep checking the Blog often for updates or, send your email address to the Space Center and you'll be notified when the Club will hold its first orientation meeting. Be sure to get your parent's permission before sending your email address!

All the best,
Mr. Herring

A New Top Score for Midnight Rescue!

Hello Troops,
Two new records were set this week and its only Wednesday! On Monday the first sixth grade class from Cedar Ridge Elementary School beat the old top score of 4 Strikes set by Lehi Junior High. The Cedar Ridge Class scored 2 Strikes. Remember, a perfect score is a Negative 3 (-3). Major mistakes made by the crew are called “Strikes”. I momentarily stop the mission and announce the penalty. A quick discussion follows and the mission proceeds. Midnight Rescue mission has three objectives. Each time an objective is reached a strike is removed. If a crew makes no mistakes and reaches all three objectives, their score would be a -3.

I thought a 2 was unbelievable. A score better than a 2 would be as impossible as me winning the Power Ball Lottery! If I had purchased a lottery card today I would have struck gold. The first 6th grade class from Deerfield Elementary scored a 1 on Midnight Rescue!

The Ambassador played his part well. He stood up for freedom and democracy when I tried to prove that an absolute dictatorship was the most efficient way to run a government. He responses were clever- something I rarely see in a 6th grader.

For the most part the captain made good decisions. There were a few errors. He wanted to blow up the satellite and repair ship. The crew worked the stations well. The discipline was outstanding. It was a pleasure to fly a crew like this.

I discussed their performance at the end of the mission. I saved their score for last - you know how you do it - build them up for the cheer. I thought the screaming and cheering coming from their young throats would lift the ceiling right off the Voyager. It was deafening. They were happy and I was pleased. Congratulations to Deefield Elementary for taking top score on Midnight Rescue.

Mr. Williamson

American Fork 'Super Teens' get national plaudits
By Amy K. Stewart
Deseret Morning News

AMERICAN FORK — They don't wear capes, leap tall buildings in a single bound or sling sticky webs at bad guys, but Natalie Richards and Brent Anderson are "Super Teens."
The two American Fork High School students are the only ones in Utah to be designated as "Super Teens" by Next Step magazine, a nationally distributed college, career and life-planning publication. Richards and Anderson, both 18 and seniors, are highly motivated and ambitious young people.
The Super Teen contest isn't based on academics. It focuses on extracurricular activities and volunteer work.
Richards plays the harp, speaks French and wants to be a veterinarian. Anderson co-founded a technology business, invented a computer game and volunteers at a local space camp.
Though the contest application didn't focus on scholarship, Richards has a 4.0 grade point average and Anderson a 3.96 GPA. They are both Sterling Scholar and National Merit Scholarship finalists.
The two teens don't win cash or a car for being a Super Teen. They did get their photo on the front cover of the magazine, however, along with a small article inside.
The pair were two of 15 regional winners. There were 185 winners nationally.
Anderson volunteers at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center, based in Central Elementary School in Pleasant Grove. Students attend the center as a space camp with flight simulations. At the camp, Anderson teaches junior high and high school students computer programming and multimedia.
He invented a computer game called "Lumen." It is a highly addictive game where the player bounces a laser through certain checkpoints. He also co-founded a tech business called Fiery Ferret that performs information technology work for small or mid-sized businesses. He aims to attend Brigham Young University and major in computer engineering, then get an MBA and a jurisdoctorate degree.
Both have advice for other teens:
"Success in general is doing something you enjoy and doing it well," Richards said.
Anderson said, "You have to believe in yourself."

The Formula for a Successful Life

Troops,

I was asked once how the Space Center "got here".  

"Imagination, Education, and Hard Work!" was my answer.  I've discovered that success is build upon those three things.  

Imagination gives us the belief that anything is possible.  Imagine the amount of Imagination it took to dream up this place!  

Education gives us the tools to give substance to the powerful thoughts generated by imagination.

Hard Work is the hours of labor required to take imagination and education and fuse them together to create a legacy -  something that lasts beyond your years.

  

     • Keep Imagining 

     • Give Education 100 %.

     • Work hard to give your dream a 

        physical presence.

 

Success, in all its forms, is waiting.  Go Get It.

Sincerely,

Mr. Williamson  

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. 

Albert Einstein

The Space Center Staff Video: Kepler Distress Call!

Watch our staff in action on the Odyssey