It's Tuesday. Space Center News. Great Motivational Video. Just How Much Water is on Earth. The Imaginarium.

Hello Troops,
We had a two great missions today at the Space Center thanks to the superior students and teachers from Rocky Mt. Elementary School.  We still battle the computer glitch menace who likes to strike at the worse possible times - like during battle scenes.  At least I can blame the "intruders" or "ship damage" for the problems and not the buggy computer programs themselves. 

I was told I had 27 school days until my retirement.  Twenty seven days compared to 30 years; it seems so short.  I won't tell a lie,  I am looking forward to moving on to new adventures.  It is time to close one door and open another.  Here's to the future at Farpoint. I'm hoping you're coming along for the ride.  It will be amazing.
  
Caitlynn Stone, a Farpoint Cadet and all around great student, co-authored an an article recently published in the Huffington Post.  Yes folks, it doesn't get better than that.  Let's have a big Troubadour shout out for Caitlynn!!

Saving the Environment with Food Tubes
By Caitlynn Stone and Maria Pia Apestegui, High School Students at Laurel Springs School

As the world becomes globalized, we begin to share more than just media and information -- we also begin to share food. Long gone are the days where meals were determined by what was grown locally. In modern days, we can eat anything that we want, whenever we want. The versatility is certainly an advantage to everyone; however, it comes with a price, one that many people don't think about when buying imported or non-local foods. Many people don't realize it, but the transportation of food negatively affects the environment.  Read the rest of the article.

  
Just How Much Water is there on Earth?

Spheres representing all of Earth's water, Earth's liquid fresh water, and water in lakes and rivers

The drawings below show various blue spheres representing relative amounts of Earth's water in comparison to the size of the Earth. Are you surprised that these water spheres look so small? They are only small in relation to the size of the Earth. These images attempt to show three dimensions, so each sphere represents "volume." Overall, it shows that in comparison to the volume of the globe the amount of water on the planet is very small - and the oceans are only a "thin film" of water on the surface.  Read More to find out about the other small blue dots.


Was the Red Crucifix Seen in the Night Sky of 774 A.D. a Supernova?

All the way back in 774 AD, a mysterious red “crucifix” was discovered looming over the sky in Great Britain. Of course, this was over 1,000 years before the first camera or video recorder was invented, so the only evidence of its existence lies in old English manuscripts that charted the history of the Anglo-Saxons, a tribe that invaded (and eventually settled in) Britain in the early 5th century. Before now, its creation has been a long standing mystery for laypersons and scientists alike. Now, there is plethora of evidence that suggest that the eerie apparition was spawned from a undocumented supernova blast that littered the Earth’s atmosphere with inexplicable traces of carbon-14 — over 20 times the standard amount found on Earth at any given moment.  Read More
 

A Revealing Look at What Really Motivates You.




It's Time for the Imaginarium.

Are you ready to see how the common everyday person, is making the ordinary - extraordinary?

Take an ordinary mountain walkway and make it extraordinary.

When you need a lift, just tilt your microwave oven sideways.  It words every time.

Hiding a cell phone tower.

 A delicious snack.  White chocolate with pretzels and a yellow M&M.

So, what is it then?

Engineering: A
Outstanding "lift bridge" concept

Paper Art

The King Visits McDonalds

Now this is what I call a real man's shampoo!

 A  Fifth Grade boys idea of a dream house!

The Humanities and Arts are Necessary. Why STEM Shouldn't Take Precedence Over the Arts. Your Questions. My Creed. The Imaginarium

  
Grace Richards is a researcher for a site dedicated to helping students find the right majors for their career plans.  She wrote an article titled Oh! the Humanities.  Why STEM Shouldn't Take Precedence Over the Arts

I found her article interesting and well worth reading and would like to share a few of her findings below.  I encourage you to click on the link and read the entire article for yourself.  Please post your comments.  Ms. Richards is interested in your feedback on her research.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), nearly 1.5 million elementary students are without music, nearly 4 million are without the visual arts, and almost 100% of them, more than 23 million, are educated without dance and theatre.

But the major push for STEM education in America may, in fact, not be that necessary after all. A Georgetown University, Rutgers University, and Urban Institute-collaborated study found that "U.S. colleges and universities are graduating as many scientists and engineers as ever before…[and the] findings indicate that STEM retention along the pipeline shows strong and even increasing rates of retention from the 1970s to the late 1990s. Over the past decade, U.S. colleges and universities graduated roughly three times more scientists and engineers than were employed in the growing science and engineering workforce."

Many have gravitated to the idea that STEM is the best source for innovation and job creation. But according to the Americans for the Arts organization, their studies show that children involved in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair.
These same students are also three times more likely to be elected to class office in their school, giving them early leadership skills and making them more apt to become leaders in the business world.

Eric Darr, president of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, said "it is a mistake to try to separate STEM and the social sciences. He said they are both stronger together."  

according to the Americans for the Arts organization, their studies show that children involved in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair.
These same students are also three times more likely to be elected to class office in their school, giving them early leadership skills and making them more apt to become leaders in the business world.

Questions from The Troubadour's Readers

Anonymous wrote:   What is the age limit for becoming a Farpoint Cadet?   Right now our age limit is 5th grade.  That will change once Farpoint is built.   

Christian B wrote:  So how does one join the animation and programmers guilds?  These guilds require you take the programming courses listed in the course schedules found on Farpoint's website. 

Mark S. wrote:  Ok, I am a little confused with everything that is going on. What I think is going on is this: (correct me if I am wrong)

1. The original space center is still running, only doing school field trips.  Yes.  Only field trips.

2. The new running space center is open to volunteering and internship. Not quite sure what the difference is.  You are referring to the Discovery Space Center in Pleasant Grove.  Farpoint Cadets are the volunteers.  You must be at least 5th grade to be a Farpoint Cadet.  Our Cadet program ends on your 18th birthday.  You may apply to be an intern at Discovery.  Internships are offered by the Discovery Space Center.  You may get high school credit for interning.  You must be at least 15 years old to intern.  Please contact Discovery Space Center if you wish to intern. 

3. There is the newest, just announced space center being built in Lehi. Not going to be ready for a few years. Not sure how volunteering will be done.  Farpoint will be built during next school year and will open (if all goes well) in the fall of 2014.  It is being built at Renaissance Academy and will be part of their middle school.  I will be the director.  Volunteering will be through the Farpoint Cadet program. 

David C wrote:  Hello, I was just wondering what the difference was between the DSC and the Farpoint institute. They seem similar and yet different. I was also wondering about volunteering opportunities at both centers.   The DSC is the Discovery Space Center.  It is located at Stone Gate Center for the Arts in Pleasant Grove.  Discovery is owned by the family that owns Stone Gate.  You will find their program is almost identical to the one at the Space Center because most of Discovery's employees are former Space Center workers.  

Farpoint is my newest creation.  It will be a brand new space education center built in a soon to be built middle school located at Renaissance Academy (on the border between Highland and Lehi).  It will open in the fall of 2014.  Farpoint will focus on the blending of the humanites and arts with science, technology, engineering and math.  

You may volunteer at the Discovery Center by joining becoming a Farpoint Cadet.  Please visit the Farpoint website for an application.  

 

"My Creed" by Dean Alfange.  Taken from an optometrist's office in New Hampshire in 1962

I do not choose to be a common person.

It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.

I seek opportunity—not security.

I do not wish to be a kept citizen,

humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk,

to dream and to build, 　　

to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole;

I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence;

the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of Utopia.

I will not trade my freedom for beneficence

nor my dignity for a handout.

I will never cower before any master

nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud, and unafraid;

to think and act for myself;

to enjoy the benefit of my creations;

and to face the world boldly

and say:

"This, with God's help, I have done."

Today's Mini Science Lesson:  The Truth Behind Parallel Universes

The Imaginarium

Make the ordinary, extraordinary with a bit of imagination and creativity.  

 Doesn't anyone use paper and pencil anymore?

Yep, that's our Sun, the little dot you can barely see.

Save this idea for next Easter

 Fencing

Amen R2D2.  Amen

Dramatic.

A bus I'd like to ride.  I'm guessing full of very laid back people :)

 Bathroom Art.

I don't recall having this option.