Super Saturday at the Space Center. New Farpoint Cadets. Today's Staff As Young Volunteers. The Imaginarium

Hello Troops,
     Yesterday was Super Saturday at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center in Pleasant Grove.  Although not sure, I believe there were twenty or so campers in attendance flying the Magellan and the Galileo.  I stopped by the CMSEC to meet a couple new Farpoint Cadet volunteers and to take a few pictures of the Super Saturday.  The Space Center's new director, Megan Warner ( I retired at the end of the school year to build a new Space Education Center called Farpoint - Farpointstation.org) wants everyone to know that the Space Center is open for business.  "Everybody seems to think we are still closed," she explained.  "I need to get work our that we are open with camps, field trips and private missions." I'm doing my part to get the word out.
   
Farpoint Cadet Monthly Meeting  

     I started the day waking up on my pad in Stone Gate's Great Hall, home of the Discovery Space Center.  I chaperoned the DSC's 48 Hour Camp.  I woke the boys up at 7:10 A.M., got them situated and escaped.  I had an 8:00 A.M. meeting at Renaissance Academy with the Farpoint Station Creative Team.  I sat and was creative for 90 minutes before excusing myself to go to the CMSEC for our July Farpoint Cadet training meeting and activity.  Our Farpoint Cadet Corp is made up of several of Utah's best and brightest youth.  Many of them came to Saturday's meeting to learn from one of the Space Center's best, Megan Warner.

The "Pirates" tormenting a Voyager Security Guard in the Brig just before escaping

A Pirate gaining the trust of an unsuspecting Voyager security guard.
"Hey I need to talk to your captain. Go up and get him will ya?"

     Megan drilled our cadets on the proper procedure for playing one of the Galaxy's dreaded and feared Orion Pirates, the surge of the Space Center and all those who fly in her simulators.   How many of you Troubadour readers have had your ship ambushed by the Orion Pirates?  How is it that they always capture any ship they attack, no matter how good the security?  Could the rumors be true?  Are the staff and volunteers of both space education centers bias against their crews?  Were your security officers really that bad, or were the pirates that good?  In Saturday's meeting, Megan wanted to teach our cadets to be 'that good' so no one could ever say the pirates cheated and the staff were not fair in calling the shots.  The cadets spent time learning how to hobble around on one good leg and one peg leg and how to gage distance when wearing an eye patch.  And of course you can't have a descent pirate training without learning proper parrot handling.  Keeping the little fellows on your shoulder is not easy.  They have a tendency to fly off and dive bomb the crew - very distracting to a flight director trying to get through a mission :)

Apollo 13 Activity  

     A few of our cadets stayed after the meeting for the CMSEC's Apollo 13 class while others went to work on the Super Saturday.

Bradyn S., trapped in space on a damaged spacecraft with limited tools and materials to make repairs to get home.
What will he do?

Tristan, Bradyn's ship mate reviewing what they have.  Time is running out.
Will the repairs be made in time?  Will they get back to Earth? 

Cadets Kayla and Jacob were in the adjoining capsule facing the same problem.
Air was running out and the temperatures in the craft were dropping.

Mrs. Houston is the Space Center's primary educator.  She is teaching the CMSEC's summer classes.

She's checking on the astronauts.  The cadets work in complete darkness except for one
flashlight.  I had the lights on for the photo.

The cadets postpone certain death to take a quick lunch break

 Welcome to Farpoint's Newest Cadets

Josh S., is a new Farpoint Cadet (left).  The Super Saturday was Josh's first mission as a new cadet.
He is sitting beside Nathan K., a long time cadet.  Both cadets were assigned to the Phoenix.
Welcome Josh!

Jordan (left) is training to fly the Phoenix.  He worked the Super Saturday with
Michael, a CMSEC staff supervisor and our two cadets 

The Phoenix was supervised by Michael (blue shirt).  Michael is
reviewing the highlights of the mission with Nathan and Josh.
The crew was waiting in the hall, almost ready to board.

Anti-matter and dilithium crystals power the CMSEC's starship simulators.
Captain Crunch with Crunchberries fuel Miranda, the Phoenix Flight Director

The Magellan Super Saturday staff and cadet volunteers.
Farpoint Cadets are in the black shirts.  Left to right: Carter K., Zoe F., Spencer S., and Jake H.
Zoe is another new cadet.  This Super Saturday was her first volunteer mission.
Welcome Zoe!

Connor L., was the Super Saturday Magellan Flight Director.  Jackie and Andrew supervised.

Nicole VandeBoss is in civilian clothes.  Nicole was the Magellan's Set Director before the center closed for renovation.  Nicole is getting ready to take an internship teaching position in Heber.   

  

Michaela T.,  is seen helping Magellan Supervisor Andrew M., load
 the Magellan's Super Saturday command crew 

Erin W., is briefing the Galileo's Super Saturday crew.

Farpoint Cadet Sam U., ready to answer questions during the Galileo crew's training

Flight Director Erin waits in the Galileo control area with Jace, one of our top cadets from Lehi.

Again, I'd like to welcome Josh S., and Zoe F., to the Farpoint Cadets.  You've joined a great group of young people who are dedicated to helping the Space EdVenture Foundation further science, technology, engineering, math and character education in Utah.

Mr. Williamson

Today's Staff as Young Volunteers.

A picture from 2004 or 2005 showing a very young Skyler Carr at the CMSEC.
Skyler was a volunteer at the CMSEC while in Junior High School
Skyler is now an assistant director at the Discovery Space Center

 Do Try to Make the Ordinary, Extraordinary

Thank you very much

Creative thinking when you don't have a rope or hook

You're excused

Very weird.  Would you feel comfortable using it?

Yep, do it all the time; works great except at funerals.

Creativity: A

A Troubadour Public Service Announcement

At least they're an honest company

Perfect product placement

My favorite gem of the day.
Jurassic Pork :)   It's too good.

Tableboat

Same Scene, Then and Now
Try this if you can.  Find an old picture from your town, find the exact spot where the photo was taken and take a new photo.  A little photoshoping and you've got it - then and now.