Farpoint Space Education Center Launches 25 Young Astronaut and Voyager Squadrons with 260 Cadets (With More to Come). New Pictures from the CMSEC's Voyager Era (1990-2012). Post from the Past: Mr. Williamson Get's Angry: Make the Right Calls! Theater Imaginarium.

A Young Astronaut Squadron on the Bridge of the USS Voyager

Hello Troops,
Today, the Troubadour, and everyone involved in this great simulation based space education program, celebrate Renaissance Academy and the interest its administration, faculty, and students have taken in space and immersive education.  I'm aware of no other public elementary / junior high school in the United States which offers a better space education program. Renaissance Academy's 750+ kindergarten through ninth grade students fly eight times a year in the Voyager using the InfiniD simulator based curriculum. In addition to the InfiniD missions, run during the school day so all students can participate, over one third of the school's student body have chosen to get involved in the after school Young Astronauts and Voyager programs. Needless to say, my staff and I are busy indeed.   

The Young Astronaut and Voyager program at Renaissance Academy's Farpoint Space Education Center launched last school year with 250 cadets in over two dozen squadrons. The squadrons met once monthly in a 2 1/2 hour space education class or a long duration mission. Because last year's program was free and unique, I thought the novelty would wear off and our membership in this school year's program would decline to a more manageable number; after all, there was the new $40 per cadet charge.  With the thought in mind that this school year might not be so hectic and time consuming, I opened the 2017-2018 Young Astronauts (grades 3-6) and Voyager Clubs (junior and senior high school) to membership registration. 

A Voyager Club Squadron on the Bridge of the USS Voyager

  

I think I'm pretty good at reading the general mood of an organization, and have occasionally been off by a few percentages in my predictions, so I'm surprised to admit how wrong I was about this year's membership drive. We exceeded our last year's membership numbers. Our squadrons are full and in some cases, overflowing. Then there are the new Young Astronaut and Voyager squadrons soon to form at American Heritage Academy in American Fork. They will be directed by Alex DeBirk and will add a half dozen or so squadrons to the mix.  Goodbye to shorter working days. The Voyager will be one of the busiest ships in the fleet, running three to four missions per day.

Mr. Williamson on a typical day

Of course I'm a workaholic.  If I weren't there would be no Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center, InfiniD, Telo Discovery Space Center, or Dream Flight Adventures - all of which sprang from my, what some would call, fanatical desire to have a spaceship simulator for my first Young Astronaut clubs in the late 1980's.  It's a matter of loving what you do, and I enjoy teaching kids about space. I enjoy running simulations. I have an obsession with experiential learning.  So, am I happy about our large numbers this year?  Yes I am.  Will my staff and I burn out?  Not if we keep laughing and don't take ourselves too seriously - after all, the USS Voyager does have a mind of its own and displays its temper at the most inopportune times.  Never fear, Isaac Ostler is the starship whisperer. He has the simulator a few lines of code away from being the perfect ship to fly.  The students are enthusiastic, eager to learn, and motivated to keep their math and science grades high to earn this year's coveted ranks.  This year will be the best because everything needed to make it so is in the pudding: a supportive school willing to budget for this type of experiential learning, a fantastic staff of gifted, dedicated individuals,  the support of the other space education centers - great partners all, and the magic of the new Voyager simulator.  

How can you get involved?    
• Start a Young Astronaut or Voyager Club at your school. The Voyager is here to serve as your club's simulator.  Visit YoungAstronautsClub.org for more information on the program for grades 3 through 6.  Visit VoyagerClub.org for information on the program for grades 7 - 12.  I'll be happy to get your started. You can contact me at director@spacecamputah.org.
• Volunteer to work with us at Farpoint by helping with the after school math tutoring program, the Young Astronauts and Voyager space education program, the Long Duration Mission program, and the GoogleCS Programming Classes.  
• Donate to space education by giving generously to Farpoint. Your donation is tax deductible. Go to Renacademy.org; then "Online Payments". Look for the "Farpoint" link.
• Book the USS Voyager for a private mission. Money spent on a Voyager mission goes into
the ship's upkeep.  You can book a Voyager mission by visiting DiscoverySpaceCenter.org. then go to private missions.  You may also book a private mission through our web site,
spacecamputah.org. 

Thank you
Mr. Williamson  

New Pictures from the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center's Voyager Era (1990-2012)

Here we go again with newly discovered pictures from the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center's Voyager Era 1990-2012. It is a Troubadour Sunday tradition.  The quality of today's photographs is substandard, but that is to be expected considering the camera used back in the day. To be honest, I'm not even sure I was the photographer.  I must have paid for the developing because I found them in a pile of my old teaching stuff from Central Elementary. 

The photo above shows a very excited Rachel Harken in the Voyager's Control Room.  I know I didn't take the picture because no one would dare show such excitement while I was flight directing. I demanded a quiet control room with little to know outward displays of emotion (except when speaking into the microphone or the bridge telephone).  These photos are most likely taken during an overnight mission. I was usually in a tired, "focused" mood on overnight camps.  Wore out doesn't come close to explaining those long long days of teaching math, running two field trip missions, office work, followed by a 17 hour overnight camp.  

A very young Jon Parker and Stacy Carrell are in the photo above sitting at my desk in the Briefing Room.  Jon is still in his volunteering black, which really dates the picture.  I guess I hadn't realized how valuable an asset he would become or I would have given him his Supervisor Blues earlier in his career. Stacy looks tired. It must have been a rough camp. 

Sadly, I don't remember this young volunteer.  I know where she is though. This is the Magellan Control Room complete with mini-fan to keep the staff cool.  This was taken in the day when the Magellan Flight Director sat at the opposite end of the control room from where they sit today.

Ah, the Overnight Camp Voyager Staff enjoy a bonding moment.  Bryson Lystrup is on the floor attempting to get a bit of shut eye before returning to duty.  Quinn Wongkew and Stephanie Blackman are keeping him company. 

Well, I'm guessing this must be a photo taken during an Honor's Night.  Although blurry, I can still tell who's in the photo.  On the left, Landon Hemsley, then Bracken Funk, and finally Thomas Harding.  Landon is wearing his Space Center Green meaning he was a flight director at the time. Bracken is in his letterman's jacket (show off), Thomas in civilian clothes. Both Landon and Thomas flew the Odyssey. Bracken was an all rounder.    

Our final photo was taken in the Discovery Room on an Overnight Camp.  Megan Warner is costumed and ready for a bridge appearance.  Brittney is not in uniform, but working.  I'll have to have words with her about that.  She giving final instruction to Tysen Kaylor on taking the bridge for Megan's appearance. 

Good Times.... Good Times....

Mr. Williamson

March 4, 2001.  A Post from the CMSEC's First Blog. The Importance of Making Honest Bridge Calls

Hello Troops,
This is another repost of a post I made on the Space Center's first blog back in March 2001 regarding the importance of proper bridge calls.  I can tell I was a bit steamed with I wrote it.
It all still applies today.  Supervisors and Flight Directors of all the space centers - this applies today. Don't make me come out there to enforce it because it won't be pretty!

Mr. W. 

The Staff and Volunteers Prepare to Attack the Magellan Bridge. Will the Correct Calls be Made?

A note of Concern.

Once again this note is for all Flight Directors, Blue Shirts, Voyager, and Pioneers. 

If you are the Flight Director, an invading actor, or the Blue Shirt or Doctor in any set please read very carefully.

You are to be 100% honest in your calls. 

If you are playing an invader and you see one of the students point a phaser at you and fire you will go down if they fired first. If it was a tie you will still go down. All ties are awarded to the students. That is my order and it overrides all the orders you may receive from a 
Green Shirt. You will not "pretend" it didn't hit you. It is more important that the students succeed than you. You are not here to be entertained. We are here for the students that paid the money to get the ticket. 

A note to the Green Shirts. Construct your story so NO PRESSURE WILL BE PUT ON A BLUE SHIRT TO CHANGE THE HONEST CALLS TO DISHONEST CALLS. If your story calls for the set to be taken and the students honestly defeat your invading force then live with it and roll with the punches. Do not get angry with the Blue Shirt for making an honest call or get upset because your actors actually went down honestly. That's the breaks. If the invasion didn't work do what I do sometimes and stop the mission and walk out clapping and offer congratulations to the crew for outstanding work. After all, didn't you want them to get better and running your simulator. Don't you what to see them improve to the point where they become a challenge to you and your crews? 

If you are working with the kids out in the set and a member of the staff asks you to fudge the calls so the actors win - don't. Remind them of this directive. If they say forget this post and do it anyway then go straight to the Flight Director and inform him of the problem. 
They will deal with it. If a Flight Director asks you to fudge the calls then leave the set and come straight to me. I will deal with that and you will be assigned to another ship. Yes, I feel strongly about this because it is an issue of quality and honesty. 

To the Flight Directors - have a plan ready if your actors fail in the invasion. Have a plan ready if the kids capture your actors and you still need them for another scene. Be creative but keep it honest. I'm tired of kids coming up and complaining about cheating on the 
ships. I'm concerned when our volunteers tell me they had orders to continue fighting even if they are called down. 

Quality is job number 1. Honesty in the calls is quality and we are all in the business of improving the quality of our missions and our simulators. 

That is all.
Mr. Williamson

Theater Imaginarium
The Best Gifs of the Week Edited for a Gentler Audience