Honor's Night at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center occurs twice a year. It is a night when the staff and volunteers gather to be honored, praised, motivated, and as per tradition, reminded that a "Clean Ship is a Happy Ship". Why that is brought up year after year (including during my time as director) is a testament to the fact that teens have a tendency to be messy and disorganized when it comes to 'things'.
James Porter is the CMSC Director. He was the evenings MC. He brought the usual 'Porter' comedic, free flowing and casual flare to the proceedings.
And let's not forget that everyone who attended was served a good helping of Mr. Porter's blue ribbon award winning sarcastic casserole topped with whipped dry humor on a paper plate as they entered. By the way, I broke into Mr. Porter's office and found his sarcastic casserole recipe and am including it here.
Porter Family Sarcasm Casserole
- 1 cup of biting wit
- 2 tablespoons of irony
- 3 cloves of garlic (for extra flavor)
- 1 can of thinly veiled insults
- A pinch of salt (to really rub it in)
- A generous helping of dry sense of humor, aged to perfection
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. You'll need a casserole dish for this one, so make sure you have one handy.
Start by mincing your cloves of garlic. This is a great time to practice your passive-aggressive muttering skills, so don't hold back.
In a large mixing bowl, combine your biting wit, irony, and thinly veiled insults. Mix well until everything is evenly distributed.
Add in your minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Again, make sure you're really letting your inner snark shine through as you mix everything together.
Transfer the mixture to your casserole dish, and top with a generous helping of your dry sense of humor, aged to perfection. If you don't have any on hand, feel free to substitute with a healthy dose of eye-rolling.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are crispy and the sarcasm is bubbling over.
Serve with a side of side-eye and a healthy dose of passive-aggressive commentary. Enjoy!
After the call to arms regarding cleanliness, Mr. Porter introduced the newly hired members of staff. Micah, Kayla, Lily and Aaron stood in front of their peers and gladly accepted their Royal Blues and a paycheck. Let it be knows that they worked hard to get their Royal Blues and earned their due 20 seconds of polite applause.
The event then continued with the introduction of 2 new Space Center mentors: Kayla, and Michael. They sure looked good in their Royal Blues under the planetarium's spotlights. Their elevation to Mentor status comes with appointments as officers in the Voyager Club. This volunteering club is the backbone of the Space Center's mission to excite young people to excel in math and science and to create a space faring civilization.
Kayla and Michael waiting for the applause to begin
The Cassini Pin
Jon Parker was brought up to present Amberley and Alex with their Cassini Pin. He succeeded in pinning the pins onto their lanyards without drawing blood. You see, Jon's pinning hand is the same hand he uses to hold the Cassini's microphone when he flies missions. That hand shakes from time to time making it difficult to perform fine motion skills - like pinning sharp pins onto lanyards. Jon didn't want anyone to know this, but he has been recently diagnosed with "Flight Director Hands" A crippling condition brought on by years of clutching a microphone. He is undergoing treatment and should recover with physical therapy and counseling.
The Phoenix Pin
The Phoenix Honorees for the night were Kayla and Emil. Silver is the Phoenix Set Director and made the pin presentation with dignity considering his near crippling shyness. I've been working with him on eye contact to prepare him for the event. We almost had it locked down, but as you can see, Silver lost confidence at the last second and broke eye contact. It's OK. We're making progress. It took a few months, but we finally have him giving mission briefings facing his crew instead of away.
Silver with Phoenix Honorees
The Odyssey Pin
Mitch directs the Odyssey. It was his pleasure to award Michael the Odyssey Pin.
Michael stood tall and proud, Confidence bursting through his shroud. He knew he was destined for great things, And his self-belief grew wings.
He soared to new heights, Achieving his dreams in sight. Becoming an officer on the Odyssey, His confidence shining brightly.
With his head held high, And his heart full of pride, Michael knew he was meant to be, A starship officer in the galaxy.
While never to be classified as great literature, the poem gets the message across and can then be quickly forgotten.
The Galileo Pin
Alex was recognized for his outstanding work in the Galileo by being pined by the great Brylee herself. The Galileo is the little ship that can - despite its size. It can tell great stories; think of its summer camp survey results. It can attract superb talent - just look at Brylee and Orion. It can attract top Voyager Cadets as volunteers - just look at Alex. It can also stand its ground when the occasional careless comment about its size passes across its communication's antenna. So let's remember one thing about the Galileo.
In a universe vast and unknown,
the little Galileo holds its own.
When in doubt of this fact, just think back to the what happened to the mighty Spanish Armada when the English ships appeared.
The Journeyman: 5 Years of Service
The Journeyman Honorees were recognized for their service to the Space Center. These were the individuals who had put in 5 years of service to the space center as both volunteers and staff. They were praised for their dedication and commitment to the Space Center.
I've had the pleasure of working with all four of the new Journeyman. They are top notch, talented individuals who understand the Space Center's mission and their role in making it a reality.
Some of you old timers may recognize Jade. Look closely at the black and white picture from his yearbook (printed when color photographs hadn't been invented). Jade was one of our top volunteers from the 1990's who, like Mitch, has a good day job and moonlights at the Space Center because he believes in its mission. Jade's two teen age children are also on staff and proudly wear their Royal Blues - following in their dad's footsteps.
The Apprentice Starfighters: 100 Hours of Volunteer Service
The Hitchhikers: 500 Hours of Volunteer Service
The Defenders: 1000 Hours of Volunteer Service
Look at this Who's Who of great American students gathered in the planetarium to be honored for their numerous hours of volunteer work at the Space Center. There is a rumor circulating throughout Utah Valley that a complaint against the Space Center has been filed with the Utah Valley Better Business Bureau. The complaint alleges that the Space Center steals the best young volunteers in the valley leaving very little for other non-profit organizations. All I can say is, True...... very True.
Brylee and Marissa were award the famous Mrs. Houston Space Pillowcases at Honors Night for their outstanding work and dedication to the Space Center. The Houston Pillowcase is the ultimate luxurious addition to your bedding collection. These pillowcases are the finest on the market, crafted from high-quality materials and designed with the utmost attention to detail.
The Houston Space Pillowcases are given exclusively to the top staff at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center, a testament to their exceptional quality and craftsmanship.
Would you like to have a Houston Space Pillowcase? Just be as awesome as Brylee and Marissa and you may well find yourself being called forward during an Honors Night to get one of your own.
The Founders Award Given to Jon Parker
Jon Parker, a true hero and a mentor to many, was awarded the Founder's Recognition during Honor's Night. Jon's unwavering dedication and commitment to the Christa McAuliffe Space Center for 18 years is a testament to his love for science, education, and exploration.
Jon Parker has been a role model to hundreds of staff and volunteers, imparting his knowledge, wisdom, and passion to all those who had the privilege of working with him. His listening ear and compassionate nature have made him an exceptional leader and an inspiration to all.
His devotion to the space center's mission to teach using the discipline of wonder has been extraordinary. His imaginative mind, akin to that of Disney, and his remarkable storytelling abilities, comparable to Homer's, have captured the hearts and minds of countless visitors to the center.
Jon Parker's contributions to the Christa McAuliffe Space Center have been immeasurable. His unwavering dedication, selflessness, and commitment have set the standard for excellence in our method of experiential education, inspiring generations of young people to explore the wonders of the universe.
Jon's legacy will continue to inspire and motivate future generations of scientists, educators, and explorers.
It's time to wrap up this blogpost. Honor's Night at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center was a night filled with excitement and celebration as the entire team celebrated the achievements of their colleagues. The event was a reminder of the Space Center's mission to excite young people to excel in math and science and to create a space faring civilization, and it was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team.
Imaginarium Theater
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