First Impressions of the Space Center. Old Space Center Photos. And The Imaginarium.

March 1997

Mr. Williamson (Yep, that's a younger and handsomer me ) sitting in the Flight Director's Chair

 in the Voyager Control Room.

From this chair, I ruled the Universe!

Hello Troops,

Welcome back to The Troubadour, the online home for staff, volunteers and friends of the Space Education Center.  The Space Center is physically closed right now, but our online mission continues here in The Troubadour.  This blog is the place where we can get together, share news and memories and recharge our imaginations in the Imaginarium.  Thank you for taking a few minutes and keeping in touch.

I get emails amost daily from teachers asking for news on the Space Center's renovation.  This email arrived yesterday: 

I was wondering if you are able to schedule field trips for the Space Center yet.  My students will be SOOOOOO disappointed if they cannot go their 6th grade year.  Our school does not take the 5th grade students so this is their only chance as a student to go.  I really hope we are able to take them.

Thanks,
Ronelle

Sometimes I forget how important the Space Center experience is to many people in our community. Let's not forget how excited the kids are when getting off their buses.  Let's not forget their screams as they 'transport' up to the Voyager.  Let's not forget the panic in their voices as they face impossible odds during their missions.  Let's not forget the loud cheers which end most Space Center missions.  Let's not forget how much they love our Starlab planetarium.  And let's not forget how good our Space Center teachers are in the science classroom.

There is an urgency in this teacher's email.  She expresses the sadness thousands of our students are experiencing when they are told they may not get their Space Center field trip this year.

Let me reassure everyone that the Alpine School District is committed to keep the Space Center open. Improving the Space Center to meet all current building codes will cost money and take time.  We wait patiently knowing something better will come.  

Posts from the Past.  
Posts from the Space Center's first blog.  

This post was written by Allan Stewart.  Allan programmed the Voyager's current bridge controls in 1999/2000.  Allan writes about his first field trip to the Space Center in this post. 

First Posted on May 10, 2000

Ah! Marvelous Space Center which keeps me coming back for more...

I can't remember very many details from my first mission at the Space Center, but I do remember that it was a field trip with my school. I think that I was in 6th grade and this was before Cascade Elementary took their 5th graders. Anyway, I believe that the mission was the original Supernova mission. Even though we did not finish the mission, I was hooked. I loved the Space Center!

I can remember my first overnighter was on the original Canada mission. (I put original to distinguish the missions from the reincarnated ones that now prevail, and to let you know that it was quite some time ago.) In my mind, this mission immortalized the Space Center. It had everything. The Zywacowsky (I have no idea how to really spell it, it is hard enough to pronounce the first time...) became a thing of legend.

In any case, the number one impression that the Space Center made on me was this: realism. Whenever I went on a mission at the Center, I always felt like it was real. Even though at the back of my mind I knew that it was not, I could not help being drawn into the story.

Everything was real, from Warp Travel to the Slime Devil! I can remember being very frightened when that Slime Devil would show up. I can also remember feeling the anxiety of the ship being under attack. And when we came to the end, I could not help but feel proud of our accompishments. I can not describe to you how real it felt. Everything at the Space Center was just better than real life.

Much later, when I was talking about this with Brian Hawkins, he told me of a similar experience. He said that on one mission he went on, the entire crew piled into Sickbay to watch a movie. Even though they were uncomfortable, it was worth it just because they were at the Space Center.

I hope that as a staff member, I have helped others experience the intense feeling of reality on missions. I believe that feeling is the most important thing. More important than the mission, the
ship, the controls, or anything. If it is not real to you, then we have failed. By making it feel real, you are able to learn more about yourself and about life than you could ever learn in a classroom or lecture. My being in a simulated situation where you think it is real, the decisions you make really stand out. In reflection, I have learned a great deal about myself from what I did at the Space Center: from my fears, to the decisions I made, to what I thought at certain points of the mission.

In conclusion, it is my desire that everyone who comes to the Space Center can get involved with the role-playing aspect and take home with them memories that they will never forget.

Allan "As real as it gets!" Stewart

This post was written by one of our young, 6th grade volunteers on his first impressions of the Space Center.  I left the spelling and grammar untouched.

First Posted on May 11, 2000

My first impression By:Matthew Van Uitert

I first heard about the Space Center in third grade when my sister went with her class. I was so excited that I would get to go.  And then I found out that my school had stopped sending groups there because of behavior problems. So then one day I went to Lindon Elementary and the second after the bell rang our teacher said, "I know your all wondering and the answer is yes we get to go to the Space Center." The class erupted in celebration until we got quiet again.

When we did come I found out all the stories that my sister told me were true. I was on the voyager and the first mission I did was Green Peace. I decide since I couldn't be captain that I wanted to fly the darn thing. Since I had read a lot of books were ensigns valued flight control on their first mission. We survived although are captain suffered, and I quote "Severe Mental Retardation" close quote. It was a knight of magic and the thing that made it the best was the actors,(that brought the joy of it all) and the staff that made me feel important (even though I was only in 5th grade).

So I hope everyone that reads this makes sure that they make everyone feel important. (even those little people who sometimes make your life miserable, and the people who you feel sorry for because of their job namely the cave slave on overighter mornings)

Well I hope you all enjoyed this Bye.

Photos from Space Center Past

Mrs. Houston took pictures at the Space Center over the years.   Today I'm posting three more of her pictures.  Enjoy.....

This is a photo of one of the Space Center's all time top volunteers.  Randy Jepperson started working at the Space Center in the 5th Grade.  He stay with us through junior high and the start of high school.

Randy is dressed as a Romulan ambassador in this photo taken in 1997.  Randy is standing in the Briefing Room in front of my desk.

School Year 1994

Mrs. Houston (left) is standing next to Melodie.  Melodie taught the field trip science lessons in 1994. Mrs. Houston worked in the Voyager simulator.  They are standing at the back of the Briefing Room where the Odyssey simulator is today.  In 1994, the Space Center consisted of the Voyager and the Briefing Room.  We didn't have the Odyssey, Galileo, Magellan, Phoenix or the Discovery Room.   

We took two classes per day on field trips.  One class was in the Voyager and the other class was in the Briefing Room.  Imagine running the Voyager with 25 to 30 students!  We crammed as many as we could on the Bridge.  Mrs. Houston took the rest and did first aid training etc down in the Galley.  It was crazy.  I can't believe we pulled it off.  Things are sooo much better today.   

The cake says "Goodbye Admiral".  This picture was taken at Dave Wall's goodbye party in the Briefing Room in 1993.  Dave worked with Mrs. Houston in the Voyager that school year. The staff bunk beds can be seen behind Dave.  They were built into the wall where the Phoenix sits today. 
Dave Wall was the person who designed, built and ran the original Odyssey.
So many things have changed at the Space Center over the last 22 years.  Expect more changes ahead. An organization must change to stay ahead of the times - even organizations set in the 23rd century!


The Imaginarium

Creativity:  C

Generic Store rip offs of Mt. Dew and Dr. Pepper.

Dr. Perky?  Come on.

I remember learning this as a child.

One of my new wishes would be to rename 400 East (the street in front of the Space Center) to 

Unexpected Road.  Who in their right mind would ever expect to find one of Earth's happiest 

places on 400 East in Pleasant Grove, Utah?  

Our new address would then be:

The Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center

Unexpected Road

Pleasant Grove, UT    84062 

Do it with a straight face, then walk away leaving them to think what they may.

Creativity: A

I suspect many of The Troubadour's readers are intelligent.  I picture you as the smart one in the middle.  It's an old teacher's trick.  The teacher tells the class to work in groups of three.  She organizes the groups by putting a Smarty with a Sleepy and a Me Me.  The Smarty is to corral the others and teach the lesson the teacher doesn't want to teach.  We all know what usually happens.  This is why I'm not totally sold on 'group learning'.  

  

The good ship Voyager is in a real pickle.

A new sign for the Space Center.

Caught you!

Creativity: A

Exactly the way a politician would say it.

Imagination in Advertising:  A

Creativity:  A

Perfect for your doomsayers (and every family has them) this holiday season.

Please be sure to have them open your gift before Dec. 23 - the day the Earth is 

to come to an end - according to the Mayans!

The kinds of things that should be on political buttons.

Enjoy your Fall Vacation!

Mr. Williamson

Posts from the Past and a Dr. Who Question Needing Your Answer.

 We found the place.

It's called The Space Center

Hello Troops,
One more day before our Fall Vacation. 
Once more I have nothing to report on the renovation.  They say no news is good news, right?

I encourage you to keep the Space Center spirit alive by continuing to read this blog and talking about your Space Center experiences with family and friends.  Let's not let the magic disappear while the Center lies dark.

"Hey, Mr. Williamson, Do you read our comments?" I was recently asked in an email.

Yes, I read every comment before I approve them to appear at the bottom of every post.  Am I any good about responding?  Ah, that's where the rubber hits the road, isn't it?  To be honest, the answer is...... I sometimes forget to respond.
I promise to be better.  So why not start now.

One of The Troubadour's readers asked me what mission I would run if Dr. Who were one of my passengers on the Voyager (submitted by a true Dr. Who fan for sure).  That's a good question.  I'm going to think about it while I throw it out to you.  So - THE QUESTION;  If Dr. Who were coming on a Space Center mission, which mission do you think we should run AND WHY?  Post your responses in the comment section of this email.  I'm curious  about what you think.  I'll let you know my decision and why after reading what you have to say.

Posts from the Past

Tonight I'm going to post three items from the Space Center's first blog in our Posts from the Past series.   

May 4, 2000.
From Mr. Williamson

Hello Friends,
Well, the Space Center passed a major milestone a few weeks ago. If you go to the database and look up attendance you will notice that our total attendance at the Center has crossed the 100,000 mark. We are approaching our tenth birthday on November 10th.

I want to thank all of your for your dedication to the this "unusual" undertaking that has changed all of our lives and many others. We are truly pioneers in a new type of education. All of this is only possible because of you.

100,000 AND GOING STRONG. TO THE 23RD CENTURY AND
BEYOND...........

Mr. Williamson

 By the way, the Space Center's current attendance stands at over 310,000. 

May 9, 2000
"My First Impressions of the Space Center"
By: Tyson Baker

In the summer of `97 I think it was, the end of my 6th grade
year, I got the chance to go to a 5 day camp at AstroCamp. I thought
it was the most amazing thing in the world. But as I was traveling
to AstroCamp, I glanced over the camp description again, and it
mentioned something about a `Christa McAuliffe Center'. I thought it was going to be cheesy and stupid. What I thought was cheesy has changed my life forever.

Once I got to AstroCamp, I queried about the camp to some other members in my group. They said it was the best camp ever, and that it was like Star Trek. My curiosity of the place was growing. As we rode the bus to the center, my stomach began to churn.

The thought of going on a journey to the 23rd century had gotten to
me.  As I arrived at the Center, a staff member took our bags, and
sat them down in the gym. Another one lead us into the Briefing
Room,  where we used to begin, not in the cafeteria. It was pretty cool in there. Mr. Williamson told me that I was in Team 1 and that we would
be going in the Voyager first. The rest of the kids were assigned to
the Odyssey, and some were assigned to the Classroom. I remember
Dave lining the kids up against the wall, and staring at them, to see who
would break out laughing first.

After the other kids had left, Mr. Williamson gave us our briefing. I can't put a finger on it, but I think I went on the `Corridor' mission the first time I was there. We boarded the Voyager, and entered through the spinning doors, which I thought were awesome. They had bold music playing as we entered the bridge. I knew it was already going to be fun.

The first job I had at the Space Center was Recorder/Security Officer.
The thing that capture my imagination about that place is that you were in a starship of the 23rd century. You got to fight alien bad guys. But the most important thing was that it was the most realistic thing I had ever experienced. When I went on the first mission, I thought that was the most amazing thing ever. The difference between now and then is that they have different staff, different missions, different equipment, and different simulators.  But I still think the Voyager is the best, since that's the first ship I went on.

I think the magic of the place is, well, everything...

This is Tyson Baker,
Signing off.

May 9, 2000

When I first went to the space center in 5th grade I thought it was the coolest thing in the world even though I was doing that old exploding star science mission with the romulan(I think it was a romulan) and I was the ambassador. The romulan chewed me up. I was extremely nervous. But I had an awesome time. I thought it was the coolest thing in the whole world. Then I went on my first two day mission. Oh boy. I had so much fun. It helps to go with somebody you know cause then it is even more fun.

I think the "magic" of the Space Center is the staff, and others who make it fun for all the little who come.

-Andy Heaton

Pictures from the Space Center's Past. And, the Imaginarium

Hello Troops,

Mrs. Houston stopped by my cozy white trailer at Central Elementary School two weeks ago with a grocery bag holding a stack of pictures she took years ago at one of the Space Center' summer camps. 

"Here you go.  You might want to post these," she said.  I thanked her.  She just made my life easier.

It's not easy keeping up a Space Center blog when the Space Center is closed and there really isn't anything to write about.  Everyday I think, "What can I put in The Troubadour today?"  The Space Center is like a ghost ship floating aimlessly in space.  It sits there, all locked up, vacant and in the dark.  No one IN the Space Center means no stories to tell.  No stories to tell means nothing to write in the blog.  You get my point, don't you?  That's why I was happy to get the pictures from Mrs. Houston.  Now I have something to write about!  Mr. Williamson is a happy camper.  If Mr. Williamson is a happy camper, then hopefully by posting these pictures, I'll be able to make you a happy camper too.

Jennifer Remy teaching the Apollo 13 lesson to our summer campers in July of 2002.  The Apollo 13 class was a favorite of our campers, our staff and our volunteers.  
  

July 2002.   Brady Young and McKay Hardy are putting together the life saving equipment that will keep them alive on their long trip back to Earth from the Moon in their crippled space capsule.  Doesn't Brady look young? 

"No!  It couldn't be.  That isn't a very young and immature Casey Voeks....... is it?" you ask.
"Why yes it is," I answer.

The photo above shows Current Space Center Flight Director Casey Voeks as seen in July of 2002 working with an unknown partner as part of the Apollo 13 lesson.   What about that shirt?

Many of you have flown with Casey either at the Space Center or iWorlds in Park City.  Casey is currently working on setting up iWorld's Valiant simulator at a school in Eagle Mountain.  In his spare time, he dabbles in real estate and substitute teaches. 
  

One of our Honor's Night in 2006.  How many of our current and old staff do you recognize?

Julie Collette in the Apollo 13 class.  July 2002.

Bill Schuler with his niece and the brave crew of the Falcon in the summer of 2002.  My nephew Brock Bodily is kneeling.  Brock is currently serving an LDS mission in South Africa. 

The Falcon was a portable simulator housed in Central School's cafeteria.  The desks and computers were inside the Starlab bubble.  Mr. Schuler and Mrs. Houston ran the Falcon for a time along with Stacy Carrell and Josh Babb. 

This photograph was taken during the summer of 2002.  Mr. Schuler and Mrs. Clegg were the summer camp cooks that summer. 

And finally, Chris Call.  This photo was taken in April 2002.  Chris was the Odyssey's Set Director for several years.  Chris was awesome - there is no other way to describe him.  The staff, volunteers and campers loved him.

Thanks to Mrs. Houston, there will be other photos to follow in future posts.

And now, the Imaginarium

 There is always one in every crowd you hand out with.  Who is the one in your circle of friends?

"Johnny, what would you like for dessert?"  Mother asked at his birthday dinner.
"Nothing," Johnny replied.

Johnny got his wish!

 I'll take a 32 ounce of Out of Control.  Wow, I'll bet it carries quiet a punch!

 I don't know about this.  I know a few people whose beliefs could be written on a postage stamp!

 Wow, think how far you've traveled through space since you started reading this post!

We are all astronauts if you stop and think about it.

I  always wanted a pet but decided against it.  Caring for a pet takes time and effort.

 Well, not anymore!

A stubby little vacuum cleaner like this would make a perfect pet for me.
 It just takes a bit of imagination.

This is just like a Flight Director with his crew.

How many of you have gotten scared during a Space Center mission?

Those evil Flight Directors!

And Finally,

An Imaginative Halloween Story.....