Renaissance Space Academy Presents the Top Young Astronaut / Voyager Squadrons of 2017-2018
Last school year my team and I directed 26 after school Young Astronaut / Voyager squadrons. 45% of Renaissance Academy's illegible students in the 3rd through 9th grades were members of the clubs. The squadrons met on average once a month for long duration missions in the Starship Voyager and space and astronomy lessons in the classroom. Good students, good staff, and a great time had by all.
The grade level squadrons competed against each other for the coveted "Top Team" title awarded monthly to the squadron that earned the most mission and academy points. At the end of the school year the yearly "Top Teams" were announced. Last week those top teams were awarded a reward mission on the Voyager. Congratulations to the Top Teams for last school year!
Mr. Williamson
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| The Third Grade Tigers and the Forth Grade Cobras (Andrew was the guest captain) |
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| The Fifth Grade Lions and the Sixth Grade Lions |
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| The Middle School Cobras |
The Starship Magellan Staff Have a Bit of Fun
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| The Voyager vs. the Magellan |
The closing of the Starship Voyager at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center in August 2012 left a void in the character of the Space Center itself. The Voyager was always ship number 1. The Voyager Staff were known to be aloof, stuck up at times, proud on occasion, braggarts when the opportunity presented itself, standoffish, and elitists if provoked. To the Voyager staff and regular volunteers, the other simulators were second hand knock offs of the real thing. Of course those feelings and attitudes where never shared by me. As Director, I was to be above such petty squabbles. On the other hand, I knew that the Voyager staff could be unbearable during the after overnight camp vote tallies.
The Magellan staff did their best to keep the Voyager staff's ego in check by competing mission by mission, trinket by trinket, landing party by landing party for the hearts and minds of the attending campers. The competition was brutal at times with each team trading barbs, taunts, and contorted looks across the Briefing Room.
At the closing of the Voyager, the Magellan became the alpha ship at the Space Center. I believe the Odyssey is the Magellan's "thorn" in the side for the camper's love.
The Magellan was given a bit of a bruising at the end of the 2018 summer camp season with the awarding of Top Mission and Top Simulator to the Odyssey, the second largest simulator at the CMSC, at the recent Honors Night Gala. Not known to take its licks in a gentlemanly way, the Magellan staff created a short video matching the simulators at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center with music that best portrays the ship and its staff.
Enjoy.
Mr. Williamson
Where Are They Now? A Catch Me Up Series on the Great Volunteers and Staff of the Past.
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| BJ, Caity, and Emily. The Odyssey Musketeers |
Hello everyone! Long time, no see. Some of you may remember me from our days of space centers past, sitting in the tiny closet we called the Odyssey control room feasting on loaves of fresh cinnamon french toast. Others may know me from our days at Discovery Space Center as either the frantic director who loved to please or the manic writer with ideas far beyond their time. Either way, it's time for a life update!
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| BJ in rehearsals with his actors |
I've been through quite a few adventures and a few years ago decided it was time to settle into my schooling and finish up once and for all and I'm just about there. I'm studying to be a writer, screenplays, plays, musicals, television, film, anything and everything you can think of. As I approached my final semester at school, I had the craziest idea, "What if I write a play and produce it as a senior project?!" Well, it's happening! I've spent the last year writing and rewriting my first full-length stage play called, "It's Radio Show Time"! I'm absolutely excited to share it with the world! I've teamed up with other students, many of them seniors themselves, to put on this show and it has been one wild ride.
Just like any old space mission, production of a play takes quite a bit of time, effort, and money and we're short on only one of them at the moment. I'm reaching out to anyone I've ever known, anyone who's ever believed in me, or in themselves, asking for donations, $5, $5,000, or anything in between. The sky's the limit here, really. Any money we raise beyond our goal is being thrown back into a fund to help the next audacious group of students who want to fulfill their dreams.
In lieu of our request for donations, my team and I have decided to wave the ticket price and are opening the show for free! We'll be performing at the Ragan Theater at UVU, we just ask that you let us know you're coming by replying to the event on Facebook. The link's here in the post.
We all know what it's like to be surrounded by good storytelling. We all have been positively affected by characters we've seen flying through space, and our lives have changed. Mine so much so that I've decided to take the things I've learned from the space center and turn it into a career. Thank you all in advance for your generosity, your love, and your support. Many of you have been a huge part of my life, shaping me into the person that I am. I hope to someday, repay that favor in kind. Perhaps a nice movie credit? Until then, I'll be sure to send you a personal, virtual hug.
Thanks again! Can't wait to see you there!
BJ
Details for the show can be found on the GoFundMe page.
Here's the link to the GoFundMe:
Here's the link to the FB event:
Imaginarium Theater
The Best Gifs of the Week Edited for a Gentler Audience
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