Mission.io is spreading the vision of immersive, simulation-based education across the globe. Founded by Skyler Carr and Casey Voeks right here in Pleasant Grove, their missions are experienced in hundreds—if not thousands—of classrooms every single day.
What makes Mission.io remarkable is its ability to connect students anywhere in the world with simulations that are built around curriculum standards. I had the privilege of working with the team from the very beginning, starting with the opening of the Discovery Space Center at Stonegate. Even today, I get to play a small part by lending my voice as the ship’s computer in their missions.
Skyler and Casey were first “bitten” by the immersive bug as teenage volunteers at the Space Center. Look at what they’ve accomplished since then! Their journey makes me wonder what today’s Space Center volunteers will achieve in the future as they grow and discover new ways to deeply engage students in their learning.
I currently use Mission.io in my sixth-grade classroom at Renaissance and in our after-school Young Astronauts and Voyager Club meetings. The biggest strength I see in their missions is how effectively they motivate kids to learn. For years, I’ve said that students learn best when you give them a reason to learn. Adults go to work for a paycheck—or sometimes for the satisfaction of meaningful employment. But what motivates a child? A grade? Grades only have meaning if parents and teachers emphasize them, and for many students, that simply isn’t enough.
Students in Denver, Colorado doing a Mission.io mission
From the Space Center's Historical Archives.
The End of the Summer Camp Season 17 Years Ago...
From "The Troubadour Blog". August 2008
The Joy and Pain of the Space Center.
Here you have it. Two captains from this summer's camps. The captain of a Voyager mission seems a bit upset. Could the mission be lost? Could his crew be driving him crazy? The other is a captain from a Magellan mission. Do I detect success written in his expression?
These pictures, in a way, represent the Space Center, where every mission is different. Missions can end is success or failure. Where else do you get this kind of an interactive experience that relies on you for success?
Movies? NO. In a movie you are a captive audience. You watch what's put in front of you. Amusement Parks? NO. You ride the ride. At the end you say it was great or it wasn't. If you're happy, you say they built a great ride. If you're not, you say they wasted their money building the ride.
Here at the CMSEC your actions decide the results. Work hard, think carefully through all problems, work well as a team, listen to comprehend, and you may be successful. That is the joy of what we do at the Space Education Center. We as staff and volunteers take you out there and then step back and see what you do.
Live or die, sink or swim, succeed or fail - it is all UP TO YOU.
There is no place like this in the world (Not Then in 2008)
Thank you to all that participated in our summer camp programs. Now get ready, for there is a lot more to come!
Mr. Williamson
16 Years Ago. Construction of the New Galileo Is Nearly Complete
Note: This video was shot the day before we took the new Galileo to the Utah County Fair on August 13, 2009. Kyle Herring, Alex Debirk, and Jon Parker worked feverishly to get the ship ready for the fair.
From the Troubadour Blog. August , 2009
This video was shot yesterday by Kyle Herring. The Galileo is at Senic Services in Lindon. Today it will be taken apart and transported to the Utah County Fair in Spanish Fork. It will be at the Fair from Thursday through the weekend. Watch for more information.
Imaginairum Theater
The Week's Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience
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