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| One of the many, many 8 minute adventure tours staged last Thursday |
The USS Voyager was Showcased at Renaissance Academy's 10 Year Anniversary Celebration
The new USS Voyager was showcased last Thursday evening at Renaissance Academy's ten year anniversary. The Farpoint Adventure was one of many stops the visitors made during the celebration. The Voyager's sixteen minute experience started in my classroom Using a powerpoint presentation to keep me on target and on point (because we all know I can wander off topic if given an opportunity with a rouge question), I outlined the history of the 'space center' experience starting with my poster board 1983 Pegasus classroom simulator. To get it all in, I spit out words in rapid fire mode, only coming up for breath when absolutely necessary. The audiences applauded in appreciation of the effort and skill I demonstrated by condensing a 34 year history into 7 minutes. "You'll find it difficult to decide what you liked better about our Farpoint adventure," I said to each tour as they left my classroom for the Voyager simulator. "My powerpoint or the Voyager."
Farpoint's Flight Director Academy (FDA) ran a brief, eight minute demonstration of USS Voyager. The groups were met just outside the Briefing Room by a student. "We'll need to be very careful not to get in the way of the ship's crew," they were told. "The Voyager is scheduled to launch shortly and it's all hands to stations to get the ship ready."
The next stop was the Transition Room and then the Bridge. The FDA cadets were in character playing the bridge crew. They politely tolerated the VIP visitors as they moved from station to station prepping the ship for its long voyager to Capital Point. The tour guide explained the bridge and stations. Then, disaster.....
Red Alerts sirens rang, lights switched to red. CO2 scrubbers failed. Oxygen generators failed. Gravity levels failed on several lower decks. The bridge crew jumped into emergency mode. Their walking turned into panic running as they problemed solved the mysterious cascading failures. The visitors were herded into the center of the bridge to stay clear of the ship's personnel.
The problem was always identified minutes into the crisis. Some VIP visitor 'accidentally'
tripped over a temporary extension cord on the bridge. The cord was found, plugged in, and miraculously everyting returned to normal just as the 8 minute segment ended.
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| Panic on the Voyager Bridge |
The mini-missions were run by Emily Paxman's Flight Director's in training. They took turns working on the bridge and in the control room.
There were minor glitches here and there, but overall the ship worked well. We're very close to opening the Voyager for Renaissance students. Public missions are still down the road aways.
I want to thank the Flight Director Academy students and their professor, Emily Paxman DFD (Doctorate in Flight Directing), for volunteering their time to direct and staff the experience. They're a great group of dedicated young people anxious to graduate and work in one of the many Voyager inspired simulators in Utah County.
Flight Director Academy meets every Thursday evening at our home school, Renaissance Academy. This is our first group of cadets. Another freshman class will start at the end of summer.
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| The 2016 FDA Class pausing their end of tours celebration for a few pictures. There are a few missing. They're forgiven. |
I don't understand the significance of the gang sign. I guess you've got to be one of them to be let in on the secret. I, of course, am not cool enough to be told these things.
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| Now they show their true selves. |
I've been a part of the school for three of the school's ten years. It's a great place to work. It is a school that exemplifies the Farpoint Creed: Imagine, Believe, Learn, and Do. It's a school that motivates students to be the best they can be. Come be a part of our learning community. Come be a part of the new USS Voyager!
Mr. Williamson
Theater Imaginarium
The Imaginarium
