NASA Challenger Learning Center Consultant, Brian Ewenson gives project update at Gillette, Wyoming Fundraiser
By BlackHillsToday.com staff writer - Kathy L. Swensen
ISS Passes Over Gillette
NASA Challenger Learning Center ( CLC) Board, Gillette, Wyoming, has planned several more fundraising events toward breaking ground and getting construction underway in Gillette, Wyoming. Approximately 75 people including around 20 children, attended this fun evening adventure 17 miles as the "night hawk flies" north of the Gillette airport. Spectators 'lucked out' when the nearly full moon stayed behind a small cloud, low on the horizon, until the 40/400 Star Gazing Party had concluded at the John Daly Ranch, 17 miles north of the Gillette, Wyoming airport.
One of the many highlights was waiting to watch, with our 'naked eyes,' the International Space Station (ISS) pass over about 200 miles above us, traveling approximately 17,000 miles per hour. It began appearing from the southwest about 10:18 PM and disappeared about 6 minutes later into the northeastern clouds, low on the horizon and hardly distinguishable in the nearly dark night sky, after a breath-taking sunset.
BlackHillsToday.com was the only media present at this event and is pleased to present an overview summary in the following exclusive video.
Star Party spectators were aided by a green laser pointer (aiming distance of about 2 miles with normal eyesight) from a pocket gadget of Nello Williams, spokesman and stars appearance guide for the evening. An additional laser pointer (aiming distance of about 4 5 miles) assisted our star gazing, from its attached location on a high powered 12 inch reflecting telescope. This telescope was motorized with an equatorial mount siderial drive, and thrilled the children (and us too!)into participation with Nello Williams teaching moments. The children were most enthralled when all the telescopes were focused on Saturn, as it raised above the horizon. Most everyone was very patient to have their turn to view Saturn so clearly. Nello Williams also included in his stories, a summary of a Native American legend "how the stars came to be."
Nello Williams, Gillette schools Planetarium Director for 28 years, emphasized the importance of children's exposure to a Planetarium and Challenger Learning Centers, that it is "a brain thing." He stated that 20 to 25,000 students annually, and approximately 650 to 700,000 students from the surrounding states, came through the Planetarium during his career there. Williams is one the the key individuals now working as an academic consultant for curriculum development for regional schools helping to advance science, mathematics, and astronomy programs to 'spark' the 'brain thing' in students for aspiring to successful careers in these fields and engineering.
VIP's attending included CLC Board Members: Brian Ewenson, Director; John Arnold; Bill Winthrop; John Daly; Mary Beltz; and Marsha Williams. Spectators enjoyed a delicious supper furnished by Robin Lauer, Air Force Retired, and owner of Coal Country BBQ.
Brian Ewenson, CLC Director, Gillette, and former NASA astronaut trainer for 7 years, plus the Tuscon, AZ Challenger Learning Center Manager for 5 years, gave a summary of the 54 other CLC's in the United States, Canada, UK, and Europe. Ewenson stated that currently, there is no CLC in the Great Plains Region. There are quite a few NASA related career people including astronauts, scientists, engineers, researchers, and space equipment technical specialists from the surrounding 5 state area. Ewenson also stated Wyoming is one of 2 states that has not turned out an astronaut. Ewenson went on to describe the experience children have when they come to one of the Challenger Learning Centers. As well as many other exciting 'hands on' things to experience in a CLC, they learn to work as a team to get a space vehicle launched, tracked, and landed. Ewenson also said the CLC's curriculum is designed and planned specifically to inspire children's interest in mathematics, science, hi-tech and related engineering careers.
Brian Ewenson and Nello Williams both discussed the phenomenon that 64% - 67% of America's engineers are retiring during the next two to five years. Statistics show that for every single (1) USA student engineer graduate, three (3) China, Germany, India, Asian, and European students are graduating with engineering degrees from USA Universities with training to fill the high tech jobs when they return back to their home countries to live and work. Nello Williams stated from a discussion with Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi, that, whereas the USA was the #1 leader of the world in the number of engineering experts and hi-tech jobs in the 60's and 70's, we, in the USA, are at an embarrassing position of 25th in the world in Mathematics attainment, and 23rd amongst the educated countries of the world in engineering and hi-tech graduates. We as parents, school, and community leaders need to get even more busy helping to change these current, proven statistics and help regain a national prominence in the world again, producing our own mathematics, science, technical, energy, and aerospace engineering workforce and hi-tech career oriented Masters Degrees and PhD's, from the children we're raising.
If the excitement of the youth participating in this Gillette, Wyoming 40/400 CLC Star Gazing Party Event is any indication of the inspirational potential for them to reach for all those engineering and related career openings in the near future, experiences in a local Challenger Learning Center, is a most important venue that will assist the schools in our region to begin to actually help turn out many, many, more USA citizen graduates in the engineering, astronomy, mathematics, and Science related fields, which is imperative to our education quality, standards, and future of our own USA country.
We saw and heard, when the children interacted with Nello Williams, former teacher of science, astronomy, and former Planetarium Director for the Campbell County School District, and Brian Ewenson, CLC Board Director. The vision and passion community leaders like them have for improving education in our region, significantly propels the coming ground-breaking, building, and opening a Challenger Learning Center in Gillette, Wyoming. Helping to turn out more Pioneering Ranchers, Farmers, and Miners children, into Pioneers in Space, AGAIN, is crucial in improving educational standards even more, community enrichment, society improvements, and the enhancement of our image as a respectable international leader. After all, there - Space, is where our future is, as well as our planet Earth survival.
For a related article announcing the Nasa Challenger Learning Center 40/400 Star Party, click here.
Arrangements for financial contributions, to help realize the NASA Challenger Learning Center construction, development, and scientific service to our Great Plains, and Upper Midwest Region including Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming, can be made through the Gillette, Wyoming CLC Board Members. Challenger Learning Center and Science Complex of Wyoming is a charitable, non-profit 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization. Your financial gift is tax deductible under IRS regulations.
CLC & SC, PO Box 428, Gillette, Wyoming 82717-0428.
