The Starships Magellan and Cassini Have New Supervisors. The Voyager Club Learns About Astronomy at the Science of Light. Two New Voyager Academy Workshop Taught Last Week. Imaginarium Theater

 

Cameron, Rachel, and Henson

Admiral Porter has been busy this past month approving outstanding Voyagers for promotion. Three exceptional individuals have earned their stripes, or rather, their Royal Blues, to become the new supervisors aboard the grand starships Magellan and Cassini. Meet Henson, Cameron, and Rachel – the trio that has successfully completed rigorous training, showcasing their unwavering dedication to quality and their commitment to the their starships' missions ahead. Cameron and Henson have been appointed to serve on the Magellan. Rachel will serve on the Cassini.

The Magellan and Cassini, vessels known for their adventurous missions in deep-space exploration, have always relied on the expertise of their supervisors to ensure the safety and efficiency of their operations. Henson, Cameron, and Rachel, having spent countless hours immersed in training, have proven themselves worthy of this pivotal responsibility.

Supervisors play a crucial role in the functioning of a starship. They are responsible for the well-being of the crew and oversee their work to guarantee the seamless execution of the ship's missions. The Royal Blue uniform symbolizes not only their authority but also their deep understanding of their ships' intricate systems and protocols.

Henson, known for a keen analytical mind and an unyielding sense of responsibility, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Cameron, with a background in engineering and a reputation for cool-headed decision-making, is poised to contribute significantly to the ship's technical operations. Rachel, an adept communicator with a knack for fostering camaraderie, is expected to excel in fostering a positive and collaborative environment among the crew.

Tyler Gotcher, captain of the Magellan, Commander Elinor Clark, captain of the Cassini, and Admiral James Porter expressed their confidence in the newly appointed supervisors. "Henson, Cameron, and Rachel have shown exceptional dedication and skill throughout their training," stated Admiral Porter. "I have full faith that they will uphold the values of Starfleet and contribute to the success of our missions."

The transition to a supervisory role on a starship is no small feat, and the trio's ascent to leadership reflects not only their individual accomplishments but also the high standards set by both their ships' captains and Admiral Porter. As they embark on their new roles, Henson, Cameron, and Rachel carry with them the weight of responsibility and the honor of serving on two of Starfleet's most revered vessels.

The crews of both ships eagerly anticipate the positive impact these new supervisors will have on their missions. With Henson, Cameron, and Rachel on the bridges and working in the Control Rooms, the starships Magellan and Cassini are poised to continue their legacy as beacons of exploration and discovery in the vast expanse of the cosmos.

The Voyager Club Held its January Meeting Last Saturday

The Christa McAuliffe Space Center's Voyager Club met for their monthly meeting on Saturday. To encourage its members to arrive on time, the club started with Bingo at 8:00 A.M. and the meeting itself started at 8:30 A.M. Several Voyagers won various prizes including $1,000,000 banknotes (good luck trying to spend them at the local gas and guzzle store :)

Club President Mikey called the meeting to order at 8:30 A.M. after a hard-fought game of Bingo blackout, won by Marcus. His prize was a one ounce pure silver coin. The first item of business was new introductions.

Six new members of the club stood and introduced themselves. Some had just completed their first missions in the simulators as Voyager Volunteers this past week. I explained the new method of running departments and then turned the time to Dave Stevens who talked about the Global Jam coming to the Space Center this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Please read his Google Classroom post (posted a few days ago) for more information.

Jason monitoring an activity involving 3D glasses and photographs

Jason Trump is a member of the Voyager Academy's faculty in addition to his full-time job as Director of Education at Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City. Jason was the instructor of the month and taught the monthly astronomy lesson on "Astronomy and the Science of Light".

Jason did an outstanding job taking light, the essence of astronomy, and making its use in discovery easy to understand. He used both hands on learning and discussions with photographs from both the Hubble and James Webb Telescopes to illustrate his lesson. We are lucky to have someone like Jason on our volunteer faculty because he shares our goal of "Creating a Space-Faring Civilization".

After Jason's lesson the traditional raffle prize drawing was held. This month several gift cards from Swig, Costa Vita, Starbucks, and Smash Burger were awarded by the Voyager Club's Leadership Team. Other prizes included a 3 in 1 charging station and a large wall tapestry of an astronaut batting a ball on a distant world. The meeting ended right on time at 9:45 A.M.

I want to thank former club president Aiden for supporting the Voyagers by attending. The monthly Voyager Club meeting is primarily for Volunteers and Explorers, but having Space Center staff members in attendance and showing support is very much appreciated.

The Voyager Academy's Writing and Acting Departments Hold New Workshops

Head Teacher Brylee taught the workshop "Story Writing and the Mission Binder" last Tuesday. Several Voyagers and CMSC staff attended. Story Writing and the Mission Binder is a four week course and is the first course offered by the Voyager Academy's new Writing Department. Keep an eye on the Google Classroom for news on new courses.

Headmaster Tyler taught Acting 101 "Beginning Acting for the New Volunteer" on Thursday. Tyler Weight is the Acting Department's Headmaster. Acting 101 is a required one meeting workshop for all new Voyager Volunteers. It is also open to experienced Voyagers who would like to brush up on the basics. Several of the Space Center's new Voyager Volunteers attended along with a few older Voyagers.

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos from Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience

New Year's Resolutions? How About, "I Am Who I Am and That is Good Enough." From Twenty Years Ago; January 2004 Starting the New Year at the Space Center. Imaginarium Theater.

                           

Hello Troops,   
     I didn't make a list of New Year resolutions.  I stopped performing that barbaric act of self-depreciation years ago.  What is the sense of listing my shortcomings and faults?  Sooner or later, the list will become evidence that I'm a slave to slothfulness and gluttony.  
     My New Year's Resolutions were once my Super Ego's 95 Theses.  They were drawn up yearly and posted to the refrigerator's door in hopes of reforming (by guilt) an old decaying institution which refused to adapt and change for its own sake.  As time passed, those lists became my accusers, which condemned me to the eternal flames every time I reach for a decadent Klondike Bar.  There I would stand, ice cream bar in hand, knowing what I had done.  I'd confess my guilt, unwrap the bar and eat it.  What more could I do?
     "I hereby resolve not to be short tempered with my class" I once wrote a few years ago on a New Year's list of character flaws. I was successful, until the first day back to school.   My sixth graders pushed every button all morning long; yet I held firm to my resolution; and that determination held .................. .................then cracked at lunch.

     I walked my students to the cafeteria.  Several of them were marching down the hall out of line.  A few jumped into the path of oncoming students making a game of chicken out of our walk to lunch.  Other students kept talking after being told not to. The ice finally cracked when one of my more incorrigible boys tripped one of his friends.  Down he went, causing my long line of soldiers to break into a flash mob of laughter.
     Needless to say, the return of my pockmarked "old school" teacher face soon calmed the savages. Peace and tranquility was restored. The Universe was at one with itself.
    Now that I'm older I don't need or want to keep lists outlining my 'areas needing improvement'.  I know them all too well.  What I do to become a better kinder person must pair nicely with a "one day at a time" philosophy and the understanding that some days I'll succeed and some days I won't.  It is the human experience. 

     I am who I am, and that is good enough.  Could I do better?  Sure.  Will I try?  Sure. But I will always remember that wherever I am on this journey, I am who I am, and that is good enough. 

     I'm happy many of you are on this same path and that we can share a fire on those dark and stormy nights. So let's soldier on into 2024 and fight the good fight until the final bugle sounds. 

Mr. Williamson 

A Look Back in Time from the Space Center's Original Blog "Space EdVentures".  

The Space Center Reopens. January 2004

Hello Troops,

We are back to work. Vacation ended Tuesday. Back to normal on Wednesday.  I decided not to have a field trip on the first day back. I felt teachers wouldn't have the time to brief their students, or if they had before the Christmas break, the kids would have forgotten the briefing anyway.

I was excited to reopen the Space Center. The Briefing Room has new carpet and some touch up painting. The Voyager's Bridge has some new paint as well. I walked up on the Voyager's Bridge Wednesday morning, sat in the Captain's chair, and listened. The sound of the air conditioner lightly masked the whispers of a theater ready and waiting for an audience. The chairs were neatly pushed in and keyboards at the ready.

The Voyager's Bridge. 

When it was quiet and everyone gone, I'd sit in the captain's chair and remember the great adventures we shared together over the years. Before leaving I'd say, "What's Next?" and pat the drywall heading down to the Control Room.

A slight worry opened the door of doubt in my mind; was I was ready? Would I remember the Supernova story for the field trips? You may be laughing as you wonder how could I forget a story I tell two or three times a day, four days a week - especially only after a two week pause?  Sometimes you do, but it all comes back quickly.

We started the overnight missions again. Last Friday we had 46 campers. 43 were from Cherry Hill Elementary School and the other 3 were regular general public kids. The overnight mission was touch and go for the Magellan.  Last week the Magellan's new control room was on the front burner. The counter tops were put in on Thursday. 

Wednesday morning, the first day back to school from Christmas Break,  I started up the Voyager to be sure everything was working. To my surprise it was! How odd - a long break and nothing broken. I couldn't be so lucky. On Thursday morning, just as we were getting ready to start the field trip mission, I found Mrs. Remy bent over one of the Voyager's VCR's. The middle VCR - the one that has been with us almost from the beginning - wasn't working. Every time you turned on the power it would begin fast forwarding. My theory proved true. On Friday evening I sat waiting to hear from the other simulators. The first news came in from the Falcon. I was told the network was down. Bill and Mark began working on that. I was surprised by the Galileo. Nothing to report unless it was something they took care of.

The Magellan was different. The programming had a few bugs and it was too warm in the simulator. The air conditioning wasn't working correctly.  The biggest problem on the overnight mission was the staff of the Magellan getting use to the control room and the extra controls programmed into the system. The general talk around the tables during the 11:45 P.M. ice cream before bed ritual was the maddening number of buttons and indicators the Flight Controller and 2nd Chair have to monitor and operate.  All in all - the Magellan's first overnighter with a new control room went much better than I anticipated.

I had a pretty good crew from Cherry Hill Elementary. Many of them were from the 6th Grade A.L.L.program. They were excited to do the new Shadows story because of the comments they heard at school from their friends who had come a few weeks earlier. They told me they heard the story was really scary.

We got to the actually Shadow stuff Saturday morning. Josh Webb got dressed up in the costume and made his first appearance.  There was a significant amount of screaming. The campers found cover wherever they could.  The kids were focused - just too freaked out to do anything but hide.

Josh was down to the last two kids. All others were in Sick Bay. The first officer was hiding at engineering. He looked down and saw the computer on. Power was being restored. He shouted to all others to come and help get things running. Strangely enough, no one came. He was alone. He did nothing. He got up and ran to a new hiding place. At the end I questioned him about his decision not to try to escape from the dampening field. "This mission is too freaky," was his complaint.  He was frustrated because he knew their survival was up to him, but he couldn't bring himself up to taking a risk by returning to the bridge.

                       David (left) passing the Odyssey's Microphone to Chris

Tuesday evening, David Merrell performed his last official duty as a Set Director at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center. At 7:10 P.M. the ceremonial Passing of the Mic was performed. David stood by the Odyssey main entrance and handed Chris Call the Odyssey's main microphone. The event started at 6:00 P.M. A history of the Odyssey was given along with thoughts and comments from the current flight directors. David took a few moments and spoke about working at the Center. We learned that "The Great Space Race," was his favorite mission. "Comet Trap," was his worst. He won't miss training but said he will miss the moments when you get a crew that "gets it"

and rises to the occasion and completes a mission.

The meeting ended at 7:00 P.M. We enjoyed refreshments provided by Lorraine Houston in the Discovery. I want to thank all those who attended.

Chris Call is now the official Set Director for the Odyssey. I'm pleased to see him take ownership of the simulator. He is making changes to the set to reflect his own personal style. Scott Slaugh has been hired to create a new tactical stack. There are many new changes and upgrades coming.

I want to take a moment to voice appreciation for our outstanding female staff. This last overnight mission had six of them working.... Mrs. Houston, Mrs. Remy, Rio, Metta, Aspen, and Jennifer. They really brighten up the place and provide superb roll models for the girls that come to camp. They also provide a much needed female perspective to an overwhelmingly male dominated Space Center.

Thanks Ladies for what you do and your patience with "the boys".

And now, those famous words.

That is all..................

Imaginarium Theater
The Week's Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience 

We're Starting a New Year and Getting Ready for School. A Few Bits of Cowboy Wisdom to Help You With Your New Year's Resolutions. Imaginarium Theater.

Hello Readers,

     Christmas is over and 2024 is fast approaching. On January 8 most of our Voyagers return to school (with a few returning this week). Returning after the Christmas holiday is dreaded by students worldwide. Teachers get to school first to turn on the lights, turn up the heat, try to remember where they left off in their curriculum, and review their list of sarcastic remarks intended to put overly sugared students back into learning mode. Students will slither back into the classrooms next between 7:30 A.M. and 9 A.M. You hear the roar gradually build as they gather in the hallways comparing their holiday adventures and gifts. 

"Do I look like I'm happy to be back!?"

     I do my best to kindly greet each student as they reluctantly enter my room, but I wouldn't place a wager on the number of optimistic responses I get back. Most give me a look of hopelessness. Others send a defiant stare as if to dare me to get them under control. I accept their challenges knowing that once that bell rings, they fall under my control.

Cherish Prudence, Student Class President, photographed the morning
of the first day back from Christmas Vacation.

     After the Pledge of Allegiance, I list five hours of homework assignments on the board. Next to the assignments I have a note which reads, “Due Tomorrow”. Now I have their complete attention. The silence of shock quickly evaporates into weeping and howling. I wait for the emotions to settle before telling them the part I purposely left off the board. "Give me a good day and good work and you'll be surprised at what could be erased from this list," I say with a kind smile.
     As the day progresses, one assignment after another disappears (depending on their attitude and work of course) until we are left with exactly what their assignments would normally have been.  I will also erase an unwanted assignment if given a positive comment about my lessons or appearance :)

      Soon, just like Pavlov’s dog, they are trained and my well oiled classroom is firing on all cylinders. Instead of the slang and slurs I heard at the start of the day, by 3:00 P.M. I hear only the Queen’s English. I'm also pleased that most have regained control of their emotions and bathroom needs. Its all good.

Students After a Day of Retraining

     Because we're starting a new year, may I take a moment and share a few bits of country wisdom I’ve picked up over the years? Remember now, I’m from South Dakota - the state that lies below North Dakota (if that helps you place it on a map). This may surprise you, but South Dakota does have indoor plumbing, highways, and airports. The Denver to Deadwood Stagecoach stopped running years ago after the first highway was built. Contrary to what you may have heard, you may visit the State without fear of Indian attacks. Best of all, South Dakota doesn’t have a state income tax! The American Dream is alive and well in this capitalist oasis on the northern plains.

Luella Stump, South Dakota Director of Tourism, encourages you to come see the Beauty of the West in South Dakota!"  (side note: South Dakota has a shortage of dentists but you won't find a better buffalo burger anywhere)

     I was raised in rural South Dakota. This is cowboy country. Cowboys have a unique, down to earth wisdom that seems to apply to everyone, no matter what side of the tracks you come from. So, to get 2024 off to a good start, here is a list of excellent cowboy wisdom I picked up over the years. Get you cowboy boots and 10 gallon hat on, play a good western CD, and get ready to get inspired.

• Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
• Don't squat with your spurs on.
• Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back in.
• If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.
• If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
• After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him... The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
• Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
• There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works.
• If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
• Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco.
• It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
• Always drink upstream from the herd.
• When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson.
• When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.
• The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.
• Never miss a good chance to shut up.
• There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation, and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.

"I got a fire goin' and the biscuits are hot. I'll be waiten for ya."

     Ya’ll enjoy the next few days of yer freedom. If ya’ll have some spare time, get yer horse and come on out and help us with a mission or two.

     My final thought, may the problems of 2023 forget your address so that 2024 will be the best year ever.

Ad Astra!
Mr. Williamson

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience