Space Edventures, a YahooGroup, was the predecessor to The Troubadour blog.
I started Space Edventures in March 2000 and kept it updated off and on until 2010 when all news transfered to the blog. Prior to March 2000, there was no official Space Center history; which is something I regret. The stories of our first decade of operations are lost, except for those that linger in the memories of many of the old staff and volunteers. One day I hope to compile those memories into an official history spanning those first ten years.
Do you have memories of our first decade? Please write them down in story form and send them in for editing and publishing. Do it for prosperity's sake. If that doesn't move you, do it as a personal favor to me. Look at it as you duty as a former volunteer, staff, and /or camper.
The SpaceEdventures YahooGroup is dead, but the posts are still there for members to read. Over time, I'll take the most historical of the posts and re-post them to The Trobuadour for all to read and enjoy. Today I present historical items from June and July 2000. I'll make comments (in blue) to help you understand things referenced to in the writing.
Mr. Williamson
YahooGroup SpaceEdVentures
Jul 3, 2000
Hello Voyagers!
Yes I'm back and ready to get started on this busy month ahead. There will be lots of flights and lots of construction. Mr. Adams is working on the new Magellan briefing room. It will be very cool when it's done. [this references the Discovery Room. I hadn't named it when this post was written. Dan Adams was the school's principal at the time. He was a talented man and master builder]
The school's carpets are being cleaned right now. I've got stacks of email and snail mail to read and answer so I'll be very busy this week.
If you have to change your volunteering times for this month please do so ASAP. Also if you haven't signed up for any missions please do so now. I'm planning on finishing up the July working calendar today. It's good to be back. I'm excited for a great month of Voyages ahead!
All the Best, and I hope to see all of you that can make it to the pizza supper tonight.
Mr. Williamson
Jul 10, 2000
Hello Voyagers!
48 Hour Camp 2 went very well. It was our first camp with local kids so it got off to a quiet start. The ships were in working order. We are always holding our breath and crossing our fingers because Allan [Allan Stewart was our master programmer] is in the mission home and no longer able to save the day.
Some of the Highlights of the camp:
1. Matt Long [Matt is currently on our Voyager Club staff] starting training to become the Falcon's 2nd chair. [The Falcon was the simulator housed in two Starlab planetarium inflatable domes in the school's cafeteria]
2. Bryce Redd complete all his station pass off's ! Good job Bryce.
3. Stephen Porter changed his Grand PooPah voice. VERY GOOD! We all like it.
4. Construction continued for the new Magellan Briefing Room. They began cutting through the wall into the Magellan during the Magellan's last rotation. Mr. Aldredge [Chris Aldredge is currently a member of our Space Education Center Foundation Board] had to deal with a flight and the sound of a cement cutter slicing away through the wall into his simulator. HE DID IT. Flexible is the name of the game around here.
5. Right in the middle of the last rotation, the Odyssey's TV connection device broke. The kids could no longer see the tactical screen. David Merrell earned his pay that day.
The air conditioning is still off in the cafeteria......... One day we hope.
Well, today starts another busy week. Privates [private missions] today with an overnighter. Wednesday a 48 hour camp. Next week we call "Hell Week" pardon the language - we have a Day Camp Monday to Wednesday and a 48 Hour Camp from Thursday to Saturday evening.
All the Best.
Mr. Williamson
Results of camp 485
Aug 1, 2000
Hello Voyagers!
A perfect score is 1
The worst score is 5
Galileo: 1.107
Voyager: 1.131
Magellan: 1.278
Odyssey: 1.305
Falcon: 1.72
Classroom Session: 1.90
60% of the 15 students that flew in the Galileo said it was the rotation that made them think the most.
34% of the 65 students that flew in the Voyager said it was the rotation that made them think the most.
17% of the 65 students that flew in the Magellan said it was the rotation that made them think the most.
15% of the 40 students that flew in the Odyssey said it was the rotation that made them think the most.
11% of the 65 students that flew in the Falcon said it was the rotation that made them think the most.
This Camp's Lord of the Votes goes to BRYCE REDD who once again keeps his crown as Lord of the Votes. This camp he scored $18.75 in vote money. GOOD JOB BRYCE!
A very good camp all around (except for the sour outdated milk the cafeteria tried to pawn off on carton and out poured clumps of milk!) [this was before the days of Aleta Clegg and the wonderful camp meals she provided. I tried to save money by having the school's cafeteria staff do our meals using government subsidies. I guess you get what you pay for. The cafeteria manager seemed uninterested in the fact that the milk was sour.] We start our last summer 48 hour camp on Thursday. What a great summer I've had working with all of you. Yes, Mr. Williamson has gotten "Focused" from time to time but that keeps everyone on their toes.
I spoke to Lagoon. They need numbers by August 3rd. Let's get to the poll and vote on whether you are going on the Lagoon field trip or not.
All the Best My Friends.
Mr. Williamson
The Imaginarium
The Troubadour Celebrates the best Imagination has to offer
This Camp's Lord of the Votes goes to BRYCE REDD who once again keeps his crown as Lord of the Votes. This camp he scored $18.75 in vote money. GOOD JOB BRYCE!
A very good camp all around (except for the sour outdated milk the cafeteria tried to pawn off on carton and out poured clumps of milk!) [this was before the days of Aleta Clegg and the wonderful camp meals she provided. I tried to save money by having the school's cafeteria staff do our meals using government subsidies. I guess you get what you pay for. The cafeteria manager seemed uninterested in the fact that the milk was sour.] We start our last summer 48 hour camp on Thursday. What a great summer I've had working with all of you. Yes, Mr. Williamson has gotten "Focused" from time to time but that keeps everyone on their toes.
I spoke to Lagoon. They need numbers by August 3rd. Let's get to the poll and vote on whether you are going on the Lagoon field trip or not.
All the Best My Friends.
Mr. Williamson
Hello Voyagers!
I spoke to Lagoon. Our menu is set for the 17th. All you can eat hot dogs and quarter pounders with pasta salad and BBQ beans as per the poll. You can still book to come up until the 10th of August, 2000. I have to send them our final numbers that day.
Thank you
Mr Williamson
[I took the staff and many of the volunteers to Lagoon for an end of season party. I had Lagoon cater a supper]
Space School 2000-2001
Victor Williamson
Aug 10, 2000
Hello Voyagers,
Next summer will be a real mess at the school. The school will be rewired meaning periods of time where the power will be cut off. In addition to that they will be putting in new ceilings in most of the classrooms. This construction will seriously affect our summer Space
Camps program.
One way of making up for the expected loss revenue would be to begin a school year space school program. This is just an idea that I thought I'd post first on the egroup to see what many of you thought about it. Give me your opinions. It's a different kind of a camp than we normally run. It will be heavier in the classes but they do get a Voyager mission and the overnight camp. The Space Center is open on Fridays because we are taking 2 classes per day Monday thru Thursday.
Again, this is only for this school year. Its purpose would be to salvage some of the expected loss revenue from our summer camps. In addition - it will provide another opportunity for our students to come and get more class and flight hours. Anyway - read it over and post your opinions. Will it work? Will kids talk their parents into taking a Friday off to go to Space School? Is it something you would be interested in?
An idea for School Year Space School.
Each camp would take 20 students. The students would miss one day of School to attend the camp. We would do one camp each month. Price: approx. $80.00
Camp begins Thursday evening at 7:00 P.M.
1. Planetarium lessons 7:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.
2. Astronomical observations. 8:30 P.M. to 9:45 P.M.
3. Bed at 10:00 P.M.
Friday:
1. Up at 8:00 A.M. Breakfast
2. 9-9:45 A.M. Planetarium
3. 9:50 A.M. Lessons in the Briefing room.
4. Lunch at 11:40 A.M.
5. Magellan from 12:00 P.M. to 12:30 P.M.
6. Voyager /Odyssey Missions from 12:30 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.
7. Fitness for Space from 3:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
8. Video from 4:30 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
9. Supper from 6:00 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.
10. Overnight Mission from 6:30 P.M. to 10:00 A.M. Sat.
The Space Camp kids would be joined by the regular Fri. overnight kids.
Aug 10, 2000
Hello Voyagers,
Next summer will be a real mess at the school. The school will be rewired meaning periods of time where the power will be cut off. In addition to that they will be putting in new ceilings in most of the classrooms. This construction will seriously affect our summer Space
Camps program.
One way of making up for the expected loss revenue would be to begin a school year space school program. This is just an idea that I thought I'd post first on the egroup to see what many of you thought about it. Give me your opinions. It's a different kind of a camp than we normally run. It will be heavier in the classes but they do get a Voyager mission and the overnight camp. The Space Center is open on Fridays because we are taking 2 classes per day Monday thru Thursday.
Again, this is only for this school year. Its purpose would be to salvage some of the expected loss revenue from our summer camps. In addition - it will provide another opportunity for our students to come and get more class and flight hours. Anyway - read it over and post your opinions. Will it work? Will kids talk their parents into taking a Friday off to go to Space School? Is it something you would be interested in?
An idea for School Year Space School.
Each camp would take 20 students. The students would miss one day of School to attend the camp. We would do one camp each month. Price: approx. $80.00
Camp begins Thursday evening at 7:00 P.M.
1. Planetarium lessons 7:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.
2. Astronomical observations. 8:30 P.M. to 9:45 P.M.
3. Bed at 10:00 P.M.
Friday:
1. Up at 8:00 A.M. Breakfast
2. 9-9:45 A.M. Planetarium
3. 9:50 A.M. Lessons in the Briefing room.
4. Lunch at 11:40 A.M.
5. Magellan from 12:00 P.M. to 12:30 P.M.
6. Voyager /Odyssey Missions from 12:30 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.
7. Fitness for Space from 3:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
8. Video from 4:30 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
9. Supper from 6:00 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.
10. Overnight Mission from 6:30 P.M. to 10:00 A.M. Sat.
The Space Camp kids would be joined by the regular Fri. overnight kids.
There it is and you all saw this idea first. Will we do it? I don't know yet. Post your opinions and suggestions.
Mr. Williamson
Mr. Williamson
[The Space Center was fertile ground for creativity and imagination. Lots of proposals and suggestions were made. Many were tried, most not. Some worked, some didn't. This idea was in the running until it became apparent most parents wouldn't pull their kids from school to attend camp. I thought the idea had merit, knowing students from around the nation were attending the official Space Camp in Alabama year round].
July 15, 2000
July 15, 2000
Hello Voyagers,
Well, we made it to the crest of the mountain. We just finished camp 483. We are reaching the halfway point of the summer and all are breathing a collective sigh of relieve!
Camp 483 was the best of the summer so far in my opinion and I think the rest of the volunteers and staff feel the same way. The groups were smart and fun. They were all well behaved. We even had a few "characters" on the Atlantis team - Wayne, a member of our egroup, and his sidekick Matthew. Both of them are good friends of Soren. They brought a bag of tricks with them that would make any Starfleet officer green with envy. I must say I thought the busts of Beethoven and Mozart were a bit much!
The students gave the simulators and classes the highest marks as well: The following are the campers scores for the camp. The campers get to grade the classes and simulators on the following grading scale:
A = 1 point
B = 2 points
C = 3 points
D = 4 points
F = 5 points
A 1 is a perfect score. So, the lower the number the better the
score.
Here are the results:
Voyager: A PERFECT 1.00 THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY ONE OF OUR SIMULATORS HAS SCORED A PERFECT 1. THAT MEANS THAT 63 KIDS ALL GRADED THE VOYAGER AN A. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS THAT WORKED THE VOYAGER MISSION - THANKS TO STEPHEN PORTER - THE FAMOUS GRAND POOPAH!
Odyssey: Scored a 1.32
Galileo: Scored a 1.34
Class and Falcon Tied: Scored a 1.44
Magellan : Scored a 1.55
These are all very high marks.
The results for the questions: "Which rotation made you think the most?" the following are the results:
36% of the campers said the Galileo made them think the most
28% of the campers said the Voyager made them think the most
25% of the campers said the Magellan made them think the most
17% of the campers said the Falcon made them think the most.
16% of the campers said the Odyssey made them think the most.
Thanks for all your hard work,
Mr. Williamson
Thanks for all your hard work,
Mr. Williamson
The Imaginarium
The Troubadour Celebrates the best Imagination has to offer
