Renaissance Academy's Young Astronauts and Voyagers Attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's STEM camp. A Successful American Heritage / Renaissance Space Camp. A Former Flight Director Achieves his Dream. Theater Imaginarium.

      Forty-five out of the 140 students who attended the first workshops Saturday morning stayed for the third rotation of the MIT Stem Workshops sponsored by MIT and the Christa McAuliffe Space Center on Saturday afternoon. Half of the afternoon cadets were members of Renaissance Academy's Farpoint Young Astronauts and Voyagers Clubs. I think that number shows the effectiveness of the clubs in motivating students to learn more about space and science.  Our Young Astronauts (grades 3-6) and Voyagers (grades 7-12) were divided into three different workshop activities.      

A few of the Farpoint cadets touring the CMSC's Phoenix Simulator

     Before the camp's final rotation, I took several of our Farpoint cadets on a tour of two of the CMSE's four starship simulators.  Last school year they spent over twenty hours on the Starship Voyager at Renaissance as part of their after school club curriculum so they were excited to see other ships.
   

Farpoint's Young Astronauts and Voyager Cadets ready to start their STEM experience with the
visiting students from MIT. Half the students were members of Farpoint's Clubs.

     Each of the three rotations started in Central Elementary's gym.  The campers were divided into three squadrons at the start of the camp.  Each rotation highlighted a different aspect of science and engineering.  

     One rotation did basic chemistry.  Tabitha, a member of the Voyager Club's Cobra Squadron, surprised everyone with a new hair style and color.  Very alien indeed.  It came in handy the day before when Tabitha played an alien role on a Voyager private birthday mission.   

      Another group focused on engineering.  They were challenged to build towers using toothpicks and DOTS candy.  Aleta Clegg did this activity back in the day when she taught merit badges classes at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center.  The temptation to gobble up the DOTS was ever present in the minds of our younger Young Astronauts.  I could see the yearning in their eyes. 
      The third groups studied simple circuits.

Four Farpoint Young Astronauts learning the in's and out's of circuits

Noah at work building his circuit board.

This group was the largest

      The Farpoint Cadets enjoyed the classes.  I want to thank MIT for sponsoring this program and the Christa McAuliffe Space Center (my old stomping grounds) for hosting.  Hopefully we can sponsor other activities and workshops for children with an interest in science, technology and space.

Mr. W.

The Second Summer Renaissance Academy - American Heritage Camp a Success 

     The staff at Renaissance Academy's Farpoint Space Education Center was busy this week with a space camp and several private group parties aboard the Starship Voyager.  Farpoint and American Heritage Academy co-sponsored another of this summer's space camps. The camp was held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  

The astro campers aboard the USS Hyperion

     The camp started Tuesday with a five hour mission aboard Utah's newest starship simulator, the Hyperion located at Telos University in Vineyard.  Nathan King, director of the Lion's Gate Center at Lakeview Academy was the flight director.  Farpoint's Alex Debirk was the camp director.  Alex is an assistant director at Farpoint and American Heritage's high school physics teacher. 

     The Hyperion is a sister ship to the USS Voyager. Both starships tell missions written in the Farpoint Universe.  
     The second day of camp was held at Farpoint's home school, Renaissance Academy in Lehi.  The students flew a 2.5 hour mission followed by a STEM class taught by Professor Tash, Renaissance Academy's resident science guru and Farpoint's science curriculum advisor. 

Professor "Tash"
Renaissance Academy

     The campers studied rocketry and the principles of rocket flight, then demonstrated mastery by building and launching their own bottle rockets.  

     The camp ended Thursday with another five hour mission; this time the campers tried their hand at successfully finishing a mission aboard Farpoint's USS Voyager Starship Simulator.

The space campers are successful on the Voyager!

     Farpoint and American Heritage have one final joint space camp in August and that will successfully end the 2018 summer camp season.

Where Are They Now?  Today: Spenser Dauwalder

Spenser (right) as a young camper doing the Apollo 13 class

     Veteran Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center campers may remember a young Blue Shirt Voyager Supervisor named Spenser Dauwalder.  He worked at the CMSEC for several years before graduating from high school and moving on to bigger and better things.  

     Spenser was a hard worker. He moved up through the ranks quickly, topping out as a Voyager Flight Director before retiring (no easy task).  He was the supervisor who went to court over a small infraction committed at the American Fork McDonalds.  He and a few friends "rapped" their food order from their car.  He was charged with disorderly conduct, went to court, and found not guilty. The whole incident made for several good stories on the overnight camps.  

Spenser always comfortable in front of a microphone

     Spenser went to school to pursue his dream of become a nurse. A few weeks ago he achieved his ultimate dream. He passed several hard exams to become a Flight Paramedic and a Flight Registered Nurse.  

     He posted the following on his Facebook page. 

A few weeks ago, I took a few of the hardest exams I have ever had to take for my professional career!! I successfully passed my Flight Paramedic-Certification (FP-C), as well as my Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) exam! I am truly blessed to be in the position I am in, and have the best job in the world

  

     Congratulations Spenser on your achievements.  You're an example to our Young Astronauts and Voyagers by living what I teach my students every day:  Imagine, Believe, Learn, and Do!

Mr. Williamson 

Imaginarium Theater

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