 |
| Alpine School District's Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center Introduces the New Advisory Board at the Foundational Meeting: Present: LtoR. Casey Voeks, Heather Groom, Ryan Wells, James Porter, Emily Paxman, and Victor Williamson (taking the picture). November 30, 2017. |
Several years ago Viki Carter and I met in her office at Central Elementary School to discuss the creation of a CMSEC Advisory Board. At the time I was serving on Clark Planetarium's Advisory Board and grew to understand its purpose. An advisory board is not a governing body as you would find on a school board or a board of directors. An advisory board gives a public organization an effective way to receive community input to facilitate the organization's value in the community.
The idea of an advisory board was shelved during the transitional time after my retirement.
Earlier in November James Porter contacted me asking if I'd like to serve on the CMSEC's soon to form advisory board. With his new master's degree in hand and the Space Center moving at full steam, he felt it was time to emulate the school district's community councils by creating one for the Space Center itself. It would be "All Hands on Deck" as the CMSEC prepared for the construction of a new Central Elementary and Space Center in 2019.
In the email welcoming new board members, Mr. Porter wrote, "You’ve been invited to participate in helping to develop our amazing program as it continues to extend the reach of this inspiring educational endeavor."
In the board's founding charter, Mr. Porter outlined the board's purpose:
Board Members
The Space Center Advisory Board is composed of community members nominated by mutual consent of the CMSEC Director and existing Board, and are appointed for two- year terms. Membership includes individuals who can offer specialist advice, skills, and resources to accomplish Board goals.
Purpose:
- To provide a forum for the collection and expression of opinions and recommendations on matters relating to Space Center pursuits. A sounding board of professionals and content experts.
- Serve as an external advocate of the Space Center and promote communication among the general public, businesses, and government agencies to increase awareness.
- Engage community members, businesses, and other organizations with outreach efforts to connect students with skilled professionals and additional educational opportunities.
- To assit in the identification and solicitation of financial and other resources.
The CMSEC Advisory Board's founding members are:
- Ryan Wells - Central Elementary Principal
- Vicki Carter - ASD Administration Representative
- Victor Williamson - CMSEC Founder. Farpoint Space Education Center Director.
- Mark Clement - BYU Professor & ASD Board Member
- Emily Paxman - Director of Research & Analysis at KLAS Research
- Heather Groom - Deputy Campaign Manager: Governor Gary Herbert & Former member of the State Board of Education
- Casey Voeks - CEO of InfiniD Learning.
- Ryan Anderson - Executive Director of Telos Discovery Space Center.
The first board meeting was held on Thursday, November 30, 2017, in the CMSEC's Discovery Room. A summary of the meeting:
- Feasting on subway sandwiches, chips, etc. You can't call a meeting at 6:30 P.M. without providing something to aid in the imagineering process.
- Introductions.
- An overview of the board's purpose and objectives.
- A discussion of goals with the primary purpose of raising funds towards the new Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center.
- A discussion regarding research into the educational benefit of simulator based experiential education.
- A summary of the discussion with assignments for the next meeting.
- A decision not to elect a board chairman. The board asked James Porter to lead the board in his capacity as CMSEC Director.
A First of its Kind in a Space EdVentures Simulator. The Tactical Command Station
 |
| Alex Debirk is a gentleman, scholar, flight director, teacher, husband, father, and all around generous man. He purchased and donated the TV used in the Voyager's new tactical command station. He and his father also sponsored the Voyager's engineering room (built it too). |
Amazing, isn't it? You're looking at the first Tactical Command Station ever installed in a Space EdVentures simulator. Alex DeBirk is the man responsible. He's the guy with the beard in the photo above. Alex is an assistant director at the Farpoint Space Education Center at Renaissance Academy and teacher and Voyager Club director at American Heritage Academy in American Fork. Alex designed Farpoint's Voyager simulator, and with his father's help, build the engineering console in the Voyager's Engineering Room.
Knowing funds to operate the Voyager are limited, Alex generously donated the TV for the command tactical station. Come and do a mission in the Voyager. Go to
SpaceCampUtah.org to book a flight. A Voyager mission would make a great holiday party.
Who Has Utah's Coolest Space Themed Christmas Classroom Door?
 |
| The Crowds waiting to see my Mary O'Hara Halloween Classroom Door. |
Meet More of the Few, the Brave, the Proud Young Astronauts of Renaissance Academy
Two more of Renaissance Academy's 26 Young Astronaut and Voyager Squadrons launched this week for their first mission to evacuate the Federation embassy on New Earth and bring the evil Chancellor Alexander to justice for his crimes against humanity. All of Farpoint's squadrons are well trained and duty bound to complete their seven month long mission.
 |
| Yes, they are determined to defeat the evil Chancellor Alexander. Meet the mighty 4th Grade Scorpion Squadron. |
 |
| Meet the fifth grade Tiger Squadron - a force not to be taken lightly |
Theater Imaginarium
No comments:
Post a Comment