Friday and Easy Street

Hello Troops,

I'm experiencing real weekends again while the Space Center is closed.  Imagine having two days off a week.   I'm like a kid in a candy shop!  It's living on Easy Street!

I'd almost forgotten Easy Street - almost.  There was just enough of it tucked away in my memory to recognize it:  Cool temperatures, abundant shade, quaint homes and rose scented air lightly blended and served with a hint of humidity.  I neglected this wee lane tucked behind a small cluster of willows for the past 22 years.  Boy have I been missing out.  Why didn't anyone tell me how awesome it was to have a full weekend?  I blame my staff and volunteers :)

There is a lesson to be learned.  Don't let life become so full of work, responsibilities and duties that you can't stop and enjoy the leisure of Easy Street.  And please do me a favor; when visiting,  don't disturb the guy stretched out on the green grass under the Sycamore.  That would be me.

And now, Let's relax with elixir of life - pure Imagination.  

The body of a Fiat

The Soul of a Ferrari.

Could this be you?

A rich, celestial harvest.

A superb photo story. 

It is the Magic of Human Imagination

Brilliant.  In one poster we see extreme examples of both major political parties.

Democrats on top

Republicans on bottom.

Feeling like you don't belong?  Welcome to the world of Free Thinkers.

Do you miss this place?  

What was it about this story that captivated the hearts of millions?

Brilliant Imagination.

I'll take a double serving, thank you.

Would this imaginative sign entice you to eat at this establishment?

Break the mold. 

Be Creative.

Two jewels in humanity's crown

Charlie Chaplin and Helen Keller

First on my list.  

It's that easy.

Believe in yourself.

 Be honest.  Which describes you?

 School doesn't have to be this way.

Your choices should never be our way or the highway.

Don't lose your individuality.

Nothing deflates a teacher's spirit more than those six words.
You should care.  It is your future.
Give caring teachers a chance.
We're not in it for the money!

Brilliance in Engineering

Have a Great Friday!

Mr. W. 

  

Wednesday's News, and the Imaginarium

Hello Troops,

As of today there are no new developments regarding the renovation of the Space Center.  The renovation hasn't started.  Stay tuned for developments.  

I'm working at two schools until the renovation is complete.  I start every morning, as I have for the last 13 years, working the school's crosswalk at 100 N.  I'm an interesting sight standing on the curb wearing my fluorescent orange pumpkin vest.  

At  9:00 A.M. I teach the advanced 6th grade math class.  I have 18 of the district's sharpest students for 90 minutes.  At 10:30 I jump in the Battlestar and, with sails unfurled, set course for Shelley Elementary School in American Fork.   

Shelley's principal, staff and students are great to work with.   I monitor the students in the lunchroom and playground from 11:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.  My lunch break goes from 12:30 to 1:00.  At 1:00 P.M. I work with the school's five 6th grade teachers.  They have large classes and are happy to have extra help. 

Matt Ricks comes out to help on A day afternoons.  Matt works at the Space Center as a programmer and tech.  On A days he comes in as a  high school intern.  Matt will work in Shelley Elementary's second computer lab helping the teachers teach their students how to produce multimedia presentations.   

I'm back in my pumpkin suit doing sidewalk and street duty at the 2:15 and 3:30 P.M. dismissal times. My day ends at 4:00 P.M.   If necessary I'll stop at Central on my way home to deal with the trickle of Space Center business that comes in during the day.   

They say a change is as good as a rest.  I agree.  For the first time in 30 years I'm working at a school other than Central!  There are new faces, new smells, and new routines.  The students all know who I am.  

"You're the guy from the Space Center!" I hear constantly when working in Shelley's cafeteria.

"When are we going get to go?" is the most common question they ask me.  

They fear the Center will not open this year.  The teachers remind them that Shelley sends both the 5th and 6th grades to the Space Center.  The 6th graders got to go last year.  The 5th graders will get to go next year if the Space Center doesn't open this year. 

Refunds 

The Space Center is in the process of refunding people's tuition for the August and September canceled camps.  Twenty three refunds went out on Tuesday.  Central's secretary hopes to get the rest of the refunds out next week.  I want to thank everyone waiting for a refund for their patience.  Our school secretary has been buried with start of school paperwork.  

Space News.

Voyager 1, NASA's 1977 iPod, turns 35

The Space Center's Voyager simulator wasn't named after the Star Trek series Voyager. The Voyager was named after Voyager 1, NASA's space probe built to explore Jupiter and Saturn.  

Today, Voyager 1 is approaching the cusp of our solar system in search of alien civilizations.  Voyager 1 carries with it the Sounds of Earth record to the distant stars. 

  

Read more about this amazing little space craft our Voyager was named after.  

Take me to the article. 

The Imaginarium

The Imaginarium is where we celebrate the miracle of human imagination.  

An A grade for most innovative slippers.

Who Knew that Dolores had a passion for anything other than her cats!?

This Cylon deserves your respect and your pocket money.

Who wouldn't send their young child to school without this unique crayon holder!?

Junior would be the talk of the school.

Fantastic idea for preparing your fellow passengers for the most miserable journey of their lives.

An A for originality.

I forgot, Quittage practice after school today

A special brew

This would make television watching more a sport.

I need to hang this up near the Space Center's office!

Awesome, isn't it.

And finally, something to amaze you.

Now, best stop for the night.  I've got to do my finger exercises so I can be prepared to help all those little ones in the cafeteria peel the top off their pudding packs and pry open their chocolate milk  :)

Mr. W. 

The Inspiration that Became the Space Center

I was once asked if I had any heroes.
I do.

The Space Center started with a simple assignment.  In 1983 I student taught at Central School.  My cooperating teacher asked me to teach the science unit on space.  I was to be evaluated by both Mr. Thompson and my university supervisor.  It had to be unforgettable.  I wanted an A.

I had recently watched Carl Sagan's Cosmos on television.  In Cosmos, Carl Sagan took an imaginary spaceship on a voyage deep into the universe to explore what was out there.  We went along for the ride.

I knew what I had to do.  I would recreate Cosmos in a classroom at an unremarkable school in the center of a small town called Pleasant Grove. We would take a Sagan like journey in a make believe ship to experience the science and majesty of space.  Who knows what and who we would discover.

Carl Sagan was an amazing man and astronomer.  He is one of my heroes.

 Take a moment and listen him speak about mankind's future, in his own words.

Mr. Williamson