Voyager Club's Final Long Duration Mission Round. Bring the Old Whiteboard Back! Huge Imaginarium.

The Final Round of the Long Duration Mission Starts in September

     The 2015-2016 Voyager Club's final Long Duration Mission round will start September 3rd on the USS Magellan at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center in Pleasant Grove.  The six squadrons' crews can check their mission dates on the LDM's spreadsheet accessible through the link in this blog's right sidebar.  The round will end with the last mission on October 8.  Voyagers, get your mission's date on your family calendar and let your squad captain know you're available to fly. Contact me if you can't attend your mission. We may be able to squeeze you into another squad's flight.  

     Sadly, Connor Larsen won't be our flight director for the final round. He is on an LDS mission. I've asked if he could be released for the occasion but my request fell on deaf ears. It seems what he is doing is more important!  However, we are LUCKY to have the great and powerful Jon Parker as our final flight director. Jon is the Asst. Director of the Space Center. He's flown more missions than anyone currently on staff. 

     Voyagers, I'll see you soon on your final mission.  

Mr. Williamson

What, the White Board Signs Weren't Good Enough?

     Back in my day we used whiteboard signs to give information and directions at the Space Center. Setup was quick and easy. Changing the message was not a problem. It was as simple as wipe and rewrite.  Sure, the handwriting could be problematic; not to mention the regular accidental and purposeful erasers. But the whiteboard signs were somewhat inexpensive, portable, and eye catching if you had the full array of whiteboard markers and a good eye and hand for graphics.

    

      Last week I saw the whiteboard sign's replacement in Central School's foyer.  So the whiteboards weren't good enough?  Leave it to Mr. Porter to once again tech up the Space Center with all these fancy gadgets like flat screen TV's etc.  Sure it's eye catching, but think of the message you're sending.  Do we want our students to think technology holds the answer to many of our world's problems?  Isn't this screen just another gadget to stare at?  

     Perhaps we need to start a petition to bring back the old, weathered, wobbly, crooked whiteboard lobby sign. 

     What's the word I'm looking for.......... Tradition!  That's it!  

 The Imaginarium

      

          

Assemble Your Own Cake!

See Renaissance Academy's New USS Voyager in Action. Pictures and Video. Theater Imaginarium.

USS Voyager Test Mission. August 18

     Renaissance Academy's USS Voyager simulator is undergoing test missions to determine whether or not the starship is space worthy. Two shakedown missions were held last week.  The first was of particular interest because of the crew's age.  Up until now, older teens and adults composed the test crews. Fifth and sixth graders made up Thursday's crew. We like to test our missions on students in those grades because they are the focus for our missions.  We can simplify a mission for younger audiences if necessary. Complicating a mission with more story elements and restricting help is how we compensate for older groups.    

     Alex DeBirk was the flight director assisted by Isaac, Spencer, and Drake. Isaac's younger brother played the character role.  There were a few hiccups. Midpoint through the mission the system crashed. The crew didn't know thanks to the Voyager's well trained staff. Isaac jumped into gear and got the problem resolved in a couple minutes.  We think we figured out the cause.
     2FX (second chair to those not familiar with Voyager vocabulary) is challenging. Spencer's face tells it all.  We are wondering how to lighten the 2FX's load.  He is responsible for second stories, handling all bridge communication calls, tracking the complicated damage control system, keeping the crew busy on the bridge, playing the computer for the ship's engineering room and sick bay, and directing the actors.   

The crew adapted well to the environment and got right into the mission.

Isaac's little brother was fantastic in his role.  Here he is hiding and scared in the Voyager's Sick Bay.

     Voyager Security stayed with him.  This little security guard had his phaser ready for any development.  Multiple areas makes the new USS Voyager unique among its sister ships.  It has a bridge, briefing room, sick bay, engineering, transition room, brig, and a couple nice hallways.   These multiple areas remind us why the original USS Voyager at the Christa McAluiffe Space Education Center was so successful and loved by staff and crew alike.    

     Security felt uneasy having the ship's young alien visitor so far removed from the bridge. He moved him to Brig / Containment right off the bridge.  The captain approved. He could question the youngling while still being within earshot of the ship's nerve center. 

     A few more test missions are scheduled.  The Voyager's maiden voyage will be scheduled if the ship receives its space license from Fleet Command. Renaissance Academy students will then sign up for their Long Duration Missions and the USS Voyager will take to the skies once again.  

     Don't forget to book your private mission on the Voyager. Watch for news on how and when right here on The Troubadour.

Mr. Williamson 

Watch the Young Test Crew in Action

Imaginarium Theater