American Dynasty

       Drew helping a Cyber Legionnaire with a question      What makes foreign governments question their future security? What keeps the Kremlin's spymasters up at night? Why is China spending billions on new network firewalls? These governments, all guilty of meddling in American's cyber security, fear a small group of young, up and coming future programmers.They fear The Space Place at Renaissance Academy's Cyber Legionnaires.        Nestled snugly just to the west of Utah's Silicon Slopes sits Renaissance Academy. Renaissance is a public charter school that specializes in foreign languages and experiential education using the USS Voyager, the school's starship simulator.  The Space Place offered the coding class for two years before Covid shut us down in 2019.  Now we are back with the first class held last Saturday for students in grades 5 - 7.        These 28 Cyber Legionnaires meet in...

Hello Troops, I've known Natalie for many many years. She was the third in a line of Andersons who walked the Space Center's halls and found meaningful and profound ways to shape the program for the better. Natalie recently retired from active starfleet service to focus on her next best love, writing books; and she has written more than one as you'll read in her post below.  I tried writing a book once and got as far as a few pages and gave up. I created too many characters to keep track of, there were too many plot holes I didn't have the patience to fill, and far too many words needed to be written - so my hat is off to Natalie. Aleta Clegg  (Micah Clegg's mother)  is another retired Space Center legend and author.  She uses the name Jaleta Clegg for her writing. A quick search of her name on Amazon will bring up her books.  I mention this to illustrate the fact that the Space Center is the nesting ground for many great storytellers.    Aleta with on...

       In August 2018 Mr. James Porter appointed Tabitha Ricks to the position of Space Center Outreach Coordinator. In doing so, he relieved himself from the day to day work of overseeing the Center's volunteer program. That decision has been regarded by most to be the best decision he's made in his career as Space Center Director.  Tabitha took the job and ran with it.       Running a volunteer organization isn't easy, and I speak from years of experience, especially during a massive upheaval to an organization. During her reign the Space Center was demolished and a new Center constructed.  With the new Center came six awesome simulators and a planetarium - all of which needed a steady flow of volunteers.  The volunteer core needed to expand, and quickly.        In addition to the volunteer organization, Tabitha was tasked with creating new departments to support the Space Center's programs.  The Engi...

  Hello Troops, Below this paragraph is a testimonial and thank you letter I received from a teacher several years back when I was the director. I'm reposted it today as a reminder to everyone in our line of work that what we do can and does make a difference in young people's lives.   We don't get a lot of feedback from our teachers, students and campers. They cheer and clap after a field trip, private mission or camp and they leave. It is nice when someone takes the time to send an email telling us they appreciated the experience and how it affected them. Letters like this energized us and make us want to work harder to created the best field trip and camp possible with our limited resources. After all, what are we after? World domination of course........Is that too much to ask? Mr. W. And Now the Teacher's Letter: Dear Space Center, It is has been 7-8 years since I took a classroom to Space Camp. Of course, I haven't been teaching all that time. As a matter of f...

Happy New Year to everyone in the Space EdVenturing community! Have you ever wondered what some of the Space Center veterans  are doing these days?  Sure, they retired from Starfleet years ago but they're hardly past their "sell by" dates.  Many are living useful, productive lives planetside.  Some have found a way to keep their feet in the science fiction / space drama / simulation pool by joining Nathan Young's Desolate Eden Space Extravaganza! And what a production it is.  I listened to the first part and am impressed, nay amazed, nay floored by the quality and professionalism.  Well done to everyone involved.   This is something which deserves your support.  Please read the following update written by Nathan Young - and when finished, join the Discord, listen to the tracks (the link is below) and if possible, donate some of that Christmas money you found in your stockings.  To sum up, I'm calling the space center diaspora to find a ...