Space Camp Weekly Update. The Summer Carries On

News from the Front.
It is Sunday the 23rd of June. All is quiet along the front. The troops lay exhausted in the bunkers. A quiet, like the calm of a windless night, reaches across No Man’s Land to the position of our adversary. The sun rests on a blanket of red and orange clouds near the horizon. It falls slowly towards the peak of the mountains. Darkness seeps along the eastern sky. The temperatures drop with the sun, giving relief from the heat of a summer’s day. The darkening air is soundless.

One day ago the valley echoed the roar of battle. The Space Center troops engaged the enemy. The battle stretched through the night and into morning. It ended with the enemy’s retreat to its lines. The day was won thanks to the leadership of our Flight Directors and our Army of Immortals.

I look over the earthen wall into the darkness marking the enemy’s position. A darkness, feeding off ignorance,  bleeding hope and imagination out of the human soul. I think about Monday and the upcoming battle. We will be ready,  but until then we rest. Our evening meal is cooking, sending the smell of beans and pork to mix with the odor of earth. I climb down the wall and stretch out on our rich homeland soil. I watch clouds drift by in formation and think of home, and the battles left to fight before we sleep.
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The week started with an EdVenture Camp. The crew arrived Monday night. It was a good group of 66 ranging in age from 10 to 14. Many of the kids I recognized from previous camps. The highlights of the camp:

1. Our scores are stabilizing. Every new story takes several tellings before it settles into a routine. I feel good about the stories we are telling this summer. Bracken is concerned about the Voyager mission. It has plenty of action but no monsters. His post mission conversations with his crews are causing him to loose faith in his mission. His crews say the story is missing the ‘scary’ element. Bracken feels he is being graded down because his mission doesn’t have a monster. He asked me if I felt he should change his mission to include a haunted house aspect.
I told him to continue telling the story the way it was written. Not every story needs a monster or alien. it works as long as the ‘alien’ plays a real role in the mission. It doesn’t work if the ‘alien’ is thrown in for a cheap scare. I’ve written many missions without the scary element. They did fine. We will see how things go this week.

2. The Phoenix, Odyssey, and Galileo are doing fine. The Magellan fluctuates from good scores to OK. Its new story is still gelling.

3. The meals are fantastic. Aleta has done well. This year we replaced the chicken dinner on the second night with Chinese food. A success according to the campers.

4. The classroom experience is in flux. It can take several sessions before we can get the classroom activities to perfectly match the camp’s crazy schedule. Lorraine helped Sheila and her husband with the class this camp. Lorraine will be our substitute teacher.

5. I’m still amazed at what gets lost during a camp. On night two a boy lost his sleeping bag. We looked everywhere and could never find it. Where do these things go?

The camp ended Wednesday night. We were exhausted.

Thursday was filled with private missions and another overnight camp. The one night overnighters are easy compared to the 3 day camps.

I left the Center to spend a few hours home on Thursday. Later in the day I returned to the Center to find the staff and private mission campers standing out on the lawn. I got out of my car and heard the reason - power outage. One of the power feeds into the school was down. Half the school’s power was on - the other half was off. The only ships still running were the Galileo and the Voyager. The crews and staff waited. Mark had come down to help. Roger, our custodian, was on hand as well. I knew the cause was out of our control. I sent Brent on a quest to find a Rocky Mountain Power truck to tell them of our dilemma. He returned fifteen minutes later. He found a power truck. Apparently one of the main circuits feeding electricity into the school had blown.

A few minutes later the power came back on. The missions resumed. Over the next few hours the damaged caused by the outage became apparent. The school’s walk in freezer’s compressor was blown. That was called in. I discovered the gym was getting warm. I got up on the roof and discovered the air-condition wasn’t working. That was called in. Just before the overnight camp I noticed the school’s new addition was warming up. I went into the compressor room and found the transformer was blown. That was called in.
The overnight camp came and went. we got through it without full air conditioning. On Friday morning the distict’s repairmen came to the school. Within a few hours everything was repaired and we were good as new. .

The Super Overnighter went well.

Now we ready for another week. We will have another 3 day camp and two 1 night overnighters. I’ll be sleeping at home Wednesday and Saturday nights.
Why do I need a home?   I might as well sell the house and move into the Center!
My Friends, Our Army of Immortals, there is something stirring in the dark out across the fields.  Ignorance is waking.  Rest a bit longer for soon the summer's battles will continue.  Onwards...........

Mr. Williamson

The Space Center Changes Lives

Dear Mr. Williamson and Space Center Staff,
I have unfortunately not been back to the Space Center for a few years now, but I still feel like I need to say thank you. As of today, I am an eighteen-year-old private pilot, with a NASA internship at the Ames Research Center for the summer, headed to Harvard in the fall, to study astrophysics. I can honestly say that none of that would be true, had I not, eight years ago, walked through the doors of Central Elementary for my first space camp. The Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center has changed my life. As I leave my childhood behind, I realize that the Space Center was the highlight of it. It is where I developed my love for learning; it is where I developed my passion for the skies; and it is where I developed the confidence to push the limits of my own potential. Thank you for that. I owe so much of my success to the Space Center. So thank you to all of the people who have contributed their time and energy to the Space Center. You have changed my life and I wish there was something I could do to repay you. No matter what, the Space Center will always be near and dear to my heart. Thank you again, for helping me become the person that I am today.
Sincerely,
Kristi Bradford

The First Week of Summer Camps

A New Simulator for the Space Center?!

The Space Center completed its first week of camps. Here are the highlights.

Monday, June 9th.
We had missions most of the day. At 6:15 P.M. staff assignments were given out.
We opened the doors at 6:40 P.M. I positioned myself in the gym. The campers picked up their name tags then stopped at my station to have them filled out. I didn’t think about the logistics of taking 66 campers so i short staffed my station. I was falling behind and the line in front of me was growing. Right in the heat of battle I head the sound of someone’s gut wrenching. Yes, we all know the sound of someone's meal being reintroduced into world of the seeing and smelling. That sound was followed by the sound of something different It sounded like someone was pouring partially set pudding onto the wood floor.
The splatters were accompanied by the gasps of scores of children - creating a chorus of sounds no audience would pay to hear.
I rushed over to Nicole, instructing her to take my station. I ran to the custodial office, donned my rubber gloves, grabed the mop and sprinted into action. I cleaned up the accident in the center of the gym and continued following it with the mop to the wall where it surrounded the trash can. From the trash can, the trail of partially digested matter led me to the girls rest room. It took a few minutes but we got it taken care of. Sign ins continued rather unconventionally. Later that evening I was cleaning up more of the delightful stuff in the hallway and girls rest room.
The summer season got off to a start with a baptism of vomit. We were later told by the child’s mother the cause of the outburst was food poisoning (not by our food but by something she ate before coming to camp). The camper went home and returned on day 2 feeling much better.

Tuesday, June 10th.
This day started normally. It was cold and a storm was moving toward the Wasatch Front. I was concerned because Tuesday evening are reserved for swimming at Pleasant Grove’s pool. I spent part of the day looking out the window and watching the weather radar on the internet. Later in the afternoon the clouds transformed from peaceful to ominous.
The wind decided to give the valley a good scouring. Temperatures dropped rapidly.
I need to do the responsible thing - I called PG pool and canceled swimming. That left a gigantic hole in our schedule. What was I going to fill it with?
I talked to the staff and a plan was hatched. After supper we took the kids into the gym and let them play the staff in dodgeball. That gave me time to help clean the cafeteria and put up the tables. I set up for Bingo. We brought them in from the gym and played a few games of Bingo, afterwards came the video (Titan AE) and then bed! We got through
Day 2!

Wednesday, June 11th
Up early, breakfast for the campers and right into their last rotation. I changed the mini-rotations by redividing the campers by age. The youngest campers were given two small missions of 2.25 hours each. The older campers were given another 5 hour rotation.
The camp ended at 5:45 P.M. We were dead tired.

I decided not to record the rotation scores for this camp. Each simulator surveyed their campers so the Set Directors could track their improvements but I felt it best to leave it at that. We will publish the survey results for the remaining camps.

Overall the first camp was successful. The staff performed very well giving the campers their best. Sheila and her husband, with help from Metta, gave the kids a truly unique and fun class experience. This year the kids are building things. I’ll write more about the class session in another post.
The rest of the week included many private missions and another overnight camp on Thursday evening. I’m trying to keep Friday nights open. We don’t get many Friday nights off because of the school year overnight camps. Giving the staff Friday nights during the summer is a nice change.
The Programming Guild held a Day Camp on Saturday. Brent, Bridger and Alex are teaching Revolution and Apple’s programming language. The turn out was better than I thought.
It is Sunday and I’m still feeling the effects of sleep deprivation. I’ve got to get more sleep before the next camp on Monday or I’ll be a walking zombie.
I want to close this update by thanking the staff of the Center for always going the extra mile. I’m rarely disappointed and often times surprised by what they will do on their own time, to ensure our camps are the best they can be. The Space Center is a magical place because of the people that work here. You’ll not find a better bunch anywhere.

Mr. Williamson

New Attendance Record Set for 2007-2008

by
Mr. Williamson

The Space Center’s attendance numbers for the 2007-2008 are finalized.
Total attendance from the first day of school to May 31, 2008:
16,760

Our old attendance record, set the year before was 14,775 .
I didn’t think we could beat that old record. I didn’t think it was possible to work enough hours in the day. I have been proven wrong.

We are on our way to setting new attendance records for the summer months as well.

People enjoy their time at the Space Center. That reflects well for the staff and volunteers. I encourage all to continue your good work. Let’s keep our standards high. Let’s remember we are here to educate and serve.

The summer is looming ahead. Prepare........ we are going to be in the thick of it soon.

Mr. Williamson

The Death of One of Our Own.

Jackson Miller
Joined Staff: September 17, 2005
Overnight Hours: 76
Daytime Hours: 97.5
Last Mission: June 15, 2007
Died: May 20, 2008


On Tuesday a brave young man passed away from leukemia at the Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. Jackson Miller was a member of our Space Center volunteer family. He was a junior high student from Highland Utah. A few years ago Jackson was a regular volunteer. His favorite ship was the Magellan. He was here for the old Magellan’s last mission before the remodeling. He was soft spoken, polite, and always ready to do his best. I enjoyed his company in the Voyager many times. He was always smiling - that is what I’ll remember most about Jackson.
Jackson stopped coming to the Center. I wondered why. Later I discovered he had leukemia. He was fighting for his life. For a brief time his cancer went into remission. He returned home. He starting volunteering again. The chemotherapy took most of his hair but his smile was still there. I talked to him about his illness. His hopes were high.
Once again Jackson stopped coming. I learned he had a remission. He was admitted to the Primary Children’s Hospital. His family moved to Salt Lake to be closer to him.
I didn’t know how serious his condition was until a week ago Friday when a teacher friend of mine told me he was dying. I was preparing a letter to mail and a card from all of us when
the news of his death came on Tuesday.

I’m saddened we didn’t get to say goodbye while he was alive. I’ll say it now.

Goodbye Jackson. Thank you for sharing some of your precious few months of mortality with us. I’ll miss your smile and laughter. I’m proud to know that you loved the Space Center. I’m proud that our work brought some joy to your life.
You’re free Jackson.
It's time to fly..........

Mr. Williamson

Is This Heaven ?

A True Story
by Mr. Williamson

Sometimes we forget the magic of our Center in the day to day running of the business. At times like these we need a gentle reminder of the awesomeness of the Space Center and what it means to some of the kids that come here.
Two weeks ago I had such a reminder. It was the morning mission. The bus arrived at 9:30 A.M. The students were bathroomed and lined up in the mural hallway by ship and position. I made my way to the bridge of the Voyager after a quick stop in the Control Room to start the loading music and sound effects. It was the end of the school year. I was tired of the music and tired of the mission. Its kind of a strange thing that only flight directors understand. You may be in tired, foul mood as you load your crew into the ship and train them to do their jobs but once you sit in your Flight Director’s Chair and dive into your character my attitude changes and I’m once again ready to give the story 100 percent.
I wasn’t in a foul mood this particular day but I was tired. I stood on the bridge waiting for the first crew of kids to ascend the spiral stairway. I was thinking about the long day ahead - four missions! I wouldn’t finish the day before 7:00 P.M. with little time off for lunch and a potty stop.
The first few students approached me.
“Boarding Pass,” I said in my unemotional, official Soviet Airline Voice.
The students fumble for the crumpled paper in their pockets and produce a wadded up mess for me to hand iron into something openable. I read their position and direct them to their seats. The third boy up the stairs was a slow walker. Slow walkers hold up the line as they shuffle forward taking in the sights and sounds of the Voyager’s atmosphere. This particular boy was mumbling something as he approached me. I couldn’t hear him because the loading music was playing to loud. He stopped in front of me, looked into my eyes and mumbled. I still couldn’t hear what he was saying. He was unfolding a piece of paper that was clearly not the Boarding Pass I had requested. He looked at me again while holding out this hand written note on cheap lined newsprint. I took the paper and asked him what it was.
“Is this Heaven?” I heard him mumble. I stopped dead in mid sentence.
His brown eyes were looking right into mine. Those of you that know me know that I’m hardly ever at a loss for words but right there, in front of that 5th grade boy, I was speechless.
For a split second I thought he was having me on. This was some kind of joke. He was being sarcastic. I studied his face like only a teacher can, to determine the truth in a student's words. His face, voice, and mannerisms all signaled truthfulness.
“Is this Heaven?” he asked again reverently. I didn’t answer and redirected his thoughts.
“What do you have here?” I asked while taking the paper from him.
He had written ‘Sensors’ at the top in red ink. Below was a jumble of words that described what he thought he was and the job he imagined he would be doing.
“This is me,” he said pointing to the paper. “This is what I do.”
For a moment I felt like Saint Peter at the Gates of Heaven. Here before me was a soul asking if this was heaven. In his outstretched hand was a written note telling me who he was and what he did. It was his way of saying he was ready and prepared to enter.
I handed the paper back to him and took him by the shoulder. I wanted to take a page from the Wizard of Oz and say “No Dorothy, you’re not in Kansas any more,” but realized he wouldn’t understand the meaning. I walked him to his chair and sat him down.
“This isn’t heaven Sensors Officer. This is the Starship Voyager and Welcome Aboard!” I said before turning toward the growing line of his classmates waiting for my attention.