Barretts Voyage to Mars: Our History
My dreams for this second year of participation have been realized many times over.
Our Goals: Teach children how to solve problems, how to think critically and to experience the joy of finding connections for solving problems in many unusual and different ways.
Our year has been fun, intensive and and definitely a time of stretching our potential abilities to the fullest extent.
My role as a Program Director was to dream up an idea, share it with Julie Murray, our Technology Director, and the Mission Specialists. I then sent all of us involved on a search mission to make the dream into a reality. As with any great program, many people make it successful. Thanks to all of the many, many people who made our dreams happen.
Our year began with a meeting with Annie Ritter, our principal and staunch supporter. We secured the "green light" for our projected plans. After this meeting we met with Augustine Pettus, Parkway Staff Developer, for assistance with getting our plans into effect. Her optimism and "Go For It" gave us the courage and inspiration to proceed with our dreams.
My first dream was to have the boys and girls talk to top NASA Scientists directly involved in Mars launches and research. This proved to be far more difficult task than I had imagined. Our wonderful Teleconference came about as a result of my missing a class reunion in a faraway, small Kansas town. Through email, one of my former classmates let me know that a sister of a classmate from the 1960's was a scientist at NASA. I emailed her and within minutes she put me into contact with Dr. Tom Dreschel. He organized and provided us with the experience of a lifetime. I met, via Teleconference, this former classmate's sister for the first time in 37 years. This provided a vivid example for our boys and girls of how connections can come about in unexpected ways you would never ordinarily dream of.
Was all of this easy? Absolutely not. A zillion emails, changes in schedules, numerous permission slips and parents willing to drive at odd hours and above all Dr. Dreschel's and NASA's flexibility helped this dream come true and show the boys and girls first hand how you stick with a project until you get it right. Technical difficulties changed the outcome of our first NASA Conference and with the help of Jan Carpenter, Parkway South High, Martha Bogart, Cooperating School Districts, Dr. Tom Dreschel and the NASA technicians, NASA provided us with a second and thrilling Teleconference that was perfect in everyway. Sharon Wadsack, Second Grade Teacher, of Barretts Elementary taught us how to ask important and meaningful questions of these wonderful scientists.
Our composer originally decided upon was unable to participate and a wonderful solution appeared with composer Jessica Barnes, a Junior at Parkway South High School. Her wonderful composition, TO MARS AND BEYOND, combined with the hours of rehearsal and recording times culminated in this group having the chance to appear on TEMPO the MENC cable channel. The Mars Ensemble, which I directed, talked later with our Mission Specialists about music of the future, sound on Mars and instruments of the future. They had a wonderful Conversation with Dr. Patti Riggle, Fine Arts Coordinator of Parkway School District on Music of the Future which prepared them to ask questions of the Mars Ensemble. Was this easy? No. Hours of emails, rescheduling, little time for rehearsing and sickness all added to the joy of the successful conclusion. Many thanks to Alex Peterson of Parkway's Audio Visual Department for his hours of editing, recording and video preparation. In addition Bradley Pride of the same department was of great assistance.
As I continued to develop an Integrated Arts and Sciences approach for this second Mars Millennium Year, came a wonderful email from Mary Cragg, TIE coordinator, with Mt. Wilson Observatory. What a wonderful connection this was. Was this easy? No. This is a weather-related program and California's weather was iffy this year, but she saw to it that our boys and girls had a really meaningful experience. We tip our hat to the TIE operators: Steven Golden, Carroll Devault, April Labrecque and Darrell Moon who labored tirelessly to help us with our fabulous pictures millions of light years away. We also had parents willing to be in a car at 5 a.m. to make this program a reality. We cherish our mascot, the Wombat, from Ms. Cragg's native Australia.
How do bodies move on Mars? Lorilee Richardson, Director of Parkway North's Dance II Company and her dancers showed us how they can move in that atmosphere. Her group provided us with an amazing set of original dances and a conference later with our Mission Specialists. Mrs. Biggs, fifth grade teacher at Barretts Elementary and former dancer, prepared us to think and ask the right questions of our dancers and Ms. Richardson. These dancers were absolutely outstanding in their preparation for this event. Was this easy? No. A zillion emails, technical difficulties, taping sessions lost almost ruined this great undertaking but in the end their personal appearance for our boys and girls touched our lives greatly.
Last year's networking yielded a wonderful man we called our very own Astronomer, Francis Baum, President, Boeing Employees' Amateur Astronomers Club-St. Louis(BEEAC-SL). He brought telescopes for our end of the year presentation at Barretts Elementary so that the people attending could see Mars, other objects in the sky and the International Space Station going over Barretts. He also provided us with Washington University Graduate Student, Frank Seelos, who made our knowledge come to life with his 3D slides of Mars. Mr. Baum went on to provide us with David Propper of the Boeing Ham Radio Operators Club-St. Louis. This man presented our program to the Board and they are sponsoring us in the SAREX International Space Station project for next year. We are waiting for the Ham Radio Operators to sign up then we can apply. The glow in the young Mission Specialists' eyes was worth all the effort put into this project as he realized that networking in ordinary places like his Scout club yielded this wonderful man's help for our project.
We undertook painting a mural on our school wall. This is a wall done by children for children. We are very grateful to Debbie McConnell, Barretts art teacher, for her hours and hours of help with the children. Was this easy? No. We had no idea it would take so long or would be so hard. The end result was certainly worth it as was the joyful look on the children's faces as they tried and completed this new expression of their Journey to Mars.
The final part of my dream for our Mission was to be involved in the Community. Our presentation at the St. Louis Science Center in June was the culmination of our program's research and hard work. Mr. Fred Vasquez, St. Louis Science Center Manager, Educational Programs, worked tirelessly to see that we would be featured at the Science Center. We are very grateful to him. Was this easy? No. This idea came about in August and did not become a reality until March. As this took place at the end of school, the boys and girls were really involved in many activities and, while very enthusiastic, had a hard time realizing the seriousness of the undertaking and finding time to complete written work as well as building a comprehensive display. Many phone calls, talks, parental suport and just plain hard work on the part of our 19 Mission Specialists brought this dream to a very meaningful and successful conclusion. Our display for the Science Center was not easy. I am not a carpenter, but with the expert help of Mr. Dennis Day and his generous gift of tools, expertise, and time to help the boys and girls build a table for the display, this part of the project was a breeze. They learned first hand the joys and hours of planning time it takes to make a 6' x 4' table, filled with sandy Mars terrain which would still fit through door jams and be transportable 30 miles away and up an escalator. Was this easy? No. No. No. Many times we felt we would not succeed. Thankfully we did not give up. The end result was beyond our expectations.
Our complete Integrated Arts and Sciences approach plus the events of this year have been made into a video that we are really proud of. NASA, the National Endowment for the Arts, J. Paul Getty Trust, U.S. Department of Education and the White House Millennium Council will receive a copy of this special video.
At one of our meetings I told the boys and girls that we were reaching beyond the ordinary daily achievent level with this program and I hoped that we were not too intensive in our approach. One young man piped up and said, "But Mrs. Rothermich, you are a teacher and it is your job to "stretch" us. This is the best "stretching" and most in depth experience I have ever had. Keep it up."
I have had so many dreams become a reality through this program, I will be forever grateful to the following people who made them happen:
Our 18 Mission Specialists: Chris N.,Taylor C., Patrick K., Chris C., Patrick D., Ben D., Patrick Mc., Darrion R., Will R., Rene A., Kelly E., Alex G., Annie K., Ryan L., Patrick M., Henrik O., Brandon S., Adam S., Ms. Julie Murray; Starr Foster, Rosemary Vieux, Barbara Vieux Peterson, Mary Biggs, Sharon Wadsack, Debbie McConnell, Augustine Pettus, Jan Carpenter, Dr. Patti Riggle, Annie Ritter, Alex Peterson, Bradley Pride, Martha Bogart, Cooperating School District, Mary Cragg, Mt. Wilson TIE Program Director and her TIE operators: Carroll Devault, Darrell Moon, April Labrecque and Steven Golden; Dr. Thomas Dreschel, Director of Science Education, Life Sciences Support Contract and Fundamental Biology Outreach Program; Dr. Andrew Schuerger, Research Scientist, Plant Pathologist; Mrs. Barbara Peterson, Research Organic Chemist ;(Dynamac Corporation, Kennedy Space Center). Dr. Bill Knott, Chief Scientist, Biological Programs ; Dr. Ray Wheeler, Research Scientist, Plant Physiologist (NASA, Kennedy Space Center); Ms. Jessica Barnes, composer, Parkway South Musicians: Josh D., Kib F., Maureen G., Allison S., Abbie F., Mandy W., Mary H., Craig J.; Lorilee Richardson and her Parkway North Dance II Company dancers, Samantha A., Jade B., Christina B., Dominique B., Jessica B., Stefanie B., Michelle B., Leigh Anne C., Latoya F., Adriane F., Christi L., Nikki L., Ginny S., Melanie T.; Fred Vasquez, Director of the St. Louis Science Center Educational Programs; Francis Baum, President, Boeing Employees' Amateur Astronomers Club-St. Louis(BEEAC-SL); Frank Seelos, Graduate Assistant from Washington University's Earth and Planetary Sciences Department;, Dennis Day who made our Science Center Project come to life, every Mission Specialist and their Parents who provided treats and hours and hours of driving and donated materials, my Printmaster program, the the powerful, speedy tool called the Internet and my trusty Computer.
Last but certainly not least, my Co-Director, Ms. Julie Murray. While she seemed in the background a lot of the time, she spent hours and hours typing the work of the Mission Specialists and making our webpage as outstanding as it is. She prepared our photos, iMovies, took pictures, did hours and hours of editing, downloading a zillion pictures and helped the Mission Specialists bring our web page to life for another year, provided me with encouragement, new ideas and better ways to achieve many of my dreams. With a program this fast- paced and intensive, she was the ideal person with whom to work. I could never have achieved my dreams this year for our group without her loyalty, constant presence, cheerful assistance, and technical expertise.
Enjoy our completed website and it has been an experience of a lifetime.
Gayla Rothermich-Program Director, Barretts Voyage to Mars
This year has been a wonderful and exciting journey for both myself, Mrs. Rothermich and the Mission Specialists. All of us have gained many wonderful once in a lifetime experiences that we'll remember forever. I'll always remember....
-All of the 1999-2001 awesome Mission Specialists. Their smiles, creative ideas, and enthusiasm for our mission were evident in all endeavors.
-Mrs. Rothermich's true passion and love for this program and of all kids. She continued to strive for excellence and helped the kids form life-long learning connections. Mrs. Rothermich is a wonderful teacher and a great friend.
-Our teleconference with Dr. Dreschel and the NASA scientists. The ability to talk, share, and discuss current Martian research with such highly regarded researchers was awe inspiring. The time and energy given to our students by NASA was much appreciated.
-Our Mt. Wilson Observatory link-up. Hearing the telescope skew into position and snap a photo of the expansive universe (all via just a telephone and the Internet!) was just truly awesome.
-The Parkway North Dance II Company's teleconference and visit. Watching the dancers apply movement principles to a journey on Mars was extremely interesting and thought provoking.
-The "To Mars and Beyond" music composition by Jessica Barnes and conference. This piece inspired the kids to listen carefully to interpret the story behind music.
- Mr. Vasquez and the St. Louis Science Center. The Science Center made our dreams come into reality and gave the kids a public platform for the expression of their ideas.
- Francis Baum and Frank Seelos for making the universe and stars come to life for our students.
-All of the Barretts Mars Millennium parents who gave up time, gas, (even sleep!) to help this program achieve success.
-The Barretts community of teachers and staff members who gave us constant support and encouragement.
Thank you so much to all of the people, places, and connections that our program was able to touch and learn from this year.
Miss Julie Murray-Technology Director, Barretts Voyage to Mars