The Christa McAuliffe Space Center's Voyager Club and the Search for Life in the Universe.
The Voyager Club at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center is composed of both teens and adults. Some are Explorer level and others are Volunteers. The Club meets once a month on a Saturday morning from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. at Central Elementary School, home of the Christa McAuliffe Space Center in Pleasant Grove. Yesterday was the club's first meeting for the 2025-2025 school year. Attendance was excellent - we have almost outgrown the school's faculty room.
Club meetings always start with bingo and donuts at 8:00 A.M. Bingo and donuts encourages club members to be on time for the club's official start time of 8:30 A.M. Jack and Thomas, the club's co- presidents, called bingo and officiated at the meeting.
Thomas is the club's September president. Jack takes the reigns in October. They switch off month by month. Thomas open the meeting by calling forth all new club members. They introduced themselves by giving their names, their schools, and their favorite pass time activity.
After new member introductions, Thomas reminded the club of the importance of keeping the costume closet well maintained. His pictures illustrated the point well. After his gentle reminder, all club members stood and took a solemn oath to keep the closet in perfect order on pain of a stern, soul piercing look from both Thomas and Jack.
The Voyager Academy was the club's next item of business. The Academy starts its Fall class and workshop offerings starting this week. The Academy's faculty introduced themselves to the club; Conner Larsen spoke about the Academy's new Music Appreciation course starting this week. Dave Stevens spoke about his Unity workshops coming this winter. Brian Dean and Jack spoke about the Blender classes. Finally, Matt Long introduced the Academy's Props workshops starting in January. Props is a new division of the Space Center's StageWorks Department. Club members taking the Props workshop will design props for the Space Center using CAD software. Once designed, the props will be manufactured using 3D printers, then wired for electronics, and finally - given to the Space Center to be used in the simulators. Other classes and workshops to be offered this Fall will be Hyrum's math tutoring program and Tyler's acting workshops. Watch the Space Center's Google Classroom for more information.
Jason Trump, and his associate Jared sorry Jared, but I forgot your last name), gave the September lesson on "The Search for Life in the Universe". Jason is the Director of Education at Clark Planetarium and was a former planetarium director at the Space Center. Jason is an astrobiologist and a former Space Center Voyager Club volunteer. Both are on the Voyager Academy's volunteer faculty.
Soil samples were place around the room. Water was added. The Voyagers were asked to watch the samples as the lesson progressed. Their mission was to identify any sign of life.
Jared and Jason always give excellent lessons! The club members were involved and asked many good questions. The club's mission is to "Create a Space Faring Civilization" and to provide volunteers for the Space Center. Creating a Space Faring Civilization requires education and training. Jason and Jared are doing their part through their outstanding lessons. After the meeting, the Voyager Club's Leadership Team met to discuss October's meeting and to plan a club Halloween party. In attendance were the club's presidents Jack and Thomas, along with Canon (representing The Space Place) and Isaac (representing American Heritage School). Brian Dean and I sat in as advisors. There was a discussion of starting a LDM (Long Duration Mission) program at the Space Center for our volunteers. It will be structured like the program currently being run at The Space Place at Renaissance Academy. Look for more information in upcoming blog posts and in the Google Classroom. Nan Visits Renaissance Academy and The Space Place
Nan spent last Thursday at Renaissance Academy in Pleasant Grove. Her education program at UVU required her to spend 15 hours working in a classroom. Nan chose my 6th grade classroom for her observation. She spent the day working with our students in their history, math, and science classes. She got to see all 94 of them in the wild. I'm sure it was an eye-opener!
Later, in the afternoon, Nan spent an hour with Bracken Funk in the Voyager simulator learning how it is both like and unlike the Falcon and Cassini. She wanted to help with our after school Young Astronauts club 3 hour mission. She ran Second Chair (2FX) and I flight directed. We has a blast! Nan is awesome to work with and consistently works to be the best at everything she does. Nan has a few hours left to complete her required time so we may see her again on an upcoming Thursday. The Space Places's Voyager Club and Young Astronauts Club Extends the After School Program from 2.5 Hours to 3 Hour Missions.
Both the Young Astronauts and Voyager Clubs at The Space Place at Renaissance Academy will extend their club meetings times this school year by 30 minutes, bringing their total LDM (Long Duration Mission) meetings to 3 hours; from 3:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. Monday - Thursday and 12:45 P.M. to 3:45 P.M. on Fridays. All 3rd - 9th graders are doing the same extended, 8 month long LDM mission in the Voyager. This is a change from last year when every grade level did a different mission. This year's mission is a multi-episodic continuation of the old Supernova story I wrote 30 years ago. The mission begins right after Betelgeuse's explosion.
The Dragon Squadron (pictured above) finished their 2nd three hour block mission on Friday. Notice that they appear lost? That is because they are. Where or Where (or When) are they, that will be completely reviled in their next mission Imaginairum Theater.
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AuthorMy name is Victor Williamson. I founded the Christa McAuliffe Space Center in 1990. I current teach 6th grade at Renaissance Academy and am the Space Center Outreach Coordinator (I take care of the volunteers). You can reach me by email: [email protected] Archives
October 2024
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