Sometimes You Need to Relearn How to See the Forest in the Trees; A Lesson for all Space Center Staff and Volunteers. Remembering the Voyager, the Finest Ship in the Fleet. Imaginarium Theater.

     One of the most satisfying benefits I had as the director of the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center for 23 years was seating field trip students on the Voyager bridge.  I heard all their comments as they ascended the spiral staircase and saw the bridge for the first time. I wish I had kept a record of everything I heard. So many comments brought a smile to my face, and I'd make a point to write what I heard down, only to forget a few minutes later. 

     Out of everything I heard over the years, one sixth grader's comment found a resting place in the chaos of my thoughts. I want to share it with you.
     "Oh my Gosh...... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he slowly came up the stairs. His head turned from side to side, taking in every aspect of the bridge. I was concerned that he would trip on the steps. He wasn't looking where his feet were going. The eye candy of the set was too much for his 11-year-old nervous system.

     "Oh my Gosh....... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he stumbled right past me into the center of the bridge. I had my hand out to take his boarding pass, but he didn't notice. Who was I anyway - some person?
     "Oh my Gosh...... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he centered himself under the 1/2 sphere on the ceiling and turned slowly, his arms semi-outstretched, resembling a pilgrim before the statue of his revered saint. I walked in front of him and asked for his boarding pass. He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.
     "Your boarding pass," I asked.

     "Oh my Gosh....... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he held it in the general direction of my hand. I took it from him. I looked at it. Written under his name was his position, right-wing power. I took him by the shoulders and pointed him in the right direction.
     "You are in the last chair of this row," I said gently while pushing him toward the right wing, knowing he needed the extra energy to get his legs to move. He got halfway to his chair and stopped. He turned toward me and spoke with a religious fever rarely heard even in a testimony meeting.

     "I want you to know that this is what I've dreamed about my whole life! I've finally made it! I'm on a Starship! OH MY GOSH!"
     Although reactions to the Space Center are rarely that emotional, 99% of first-timers ascending the spiral stairs were very excited and a bit overwhelmed by what they saw. Can you believe that of all places on Earth, in the middle of Pleasant Grove, not Las Vegas, not Orlando, not New York City, London, or Los Angeles, there were six starships ready to take children on edventures in the universe of wonder.
     Sometimes the magic of our Space EdVenture centers wears thin for those of us who see it daily. I find myself looking for and seeing the imperfections. I am on a quest to improve my contributions to the Space Center and Renaissance Academy. At times, I become disillusioned when the obstacles of money and talent act as mountainous speed bumps on the road. At those times, I reflect on my memory of students coming up the spiral stairs for the first time. I shake my head to clear my thoughts and then, once again, as in the beginning, I see the forest despite the trees.

Mr. Williamson

Remembering the USS Voyager.  The Finest Ship of the Fleet. 

     The USS Voyager was my first ship, built in 1990.  For four years, it was The Space Center. There was no Odyssey, Magellan, Galileo, or Phoenix. The Voyager was built by the Alpine School District Maintenance Department and Phillipoon Construction during the winter, spring, and summer of 1990 and opened for business on November 8th of that same year. I raised most of the money to build the Voyager from grants and donations.  The Alpine District stepped in when money ran tight and helped with the construction, electrical installation, and the metal work (bannisters, spiral staircase, and bunk beds).  The Voyager was a partnership among schools, communities, and businesses. It was a simulator loved by hundreds of thousands of people.
     As the years have passed and new starships have been built, the USS Voyager will always be remembered as the first of its kind, the mothership, the heart of this movement
   Back in the day, when I was the Space Center director, there were times at night, after everyone had gone home, when I'd sit in the Voyager's captain's chair and enjoy one-on-one imagination recharging time with MY ship.  I'd remember all the stories told in the past and think of new mission ideas for the future. I'd listen to the engine soundtrack, look at the screens, and marvel at what all of us accomplished as a team of dedicated space enthusiasts. We lit fires in the imaginations of thousands of Utah schoolchildren; we motivated them to dream big and know that the impossible can be achieved with imagination, education, and hard work.

Enjoy This Short Video From Our Friends at Mission.io: Introducing Teachers to Simulations Missions

Imaginiarum Theater

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