12:45 PM
We are just leaving AstroCamp.
9:00 AM
Good morning Spartan families!
What a morning we’ve had! Wake-up time was 7:00 AM, but of course many of our students were already up with the sunrise. The morning started with packing up our rooms and moving all of our belongings to our designated staging area. After that, students returned to their dorms to clean their rooms and bathrooms. Once everything was inspected by the AstroCamp staff, we were officially checked out of our dorms.
With that complete, students enjoyed a little bit of free time to play a few last rounds of human foosball or basketball before heading to breakfast. After our final delicious breakfast at camp, the groups headed off to participate in their last two classes. There are no new classes today. Students are simply completing the rotation of classes they had not experienced yet.
After classes, we will enjoy a picnic lunch in the meadow before loading up the buses and heading home.
I will not be able to update the blog again until we are on the bus heading back. Once we depart, I will add a section at the top of this page with our estimated arrival time back at A.E. Wright. I will keep that updated based on our Waze travel time during the drive.
Please do not call the school for arrival updates. They will be getting the same information from this blog.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone this afternoon between 4:00 - 5:00 PM.
8:30 PM
Hello Spartan families!
We had another great afternoon of classes here at AstroCamp. At one point today, all students were able to visit the camp store to pick up some fun AstroCamp merchandise to bring home. Astronaut ice cream was definitely a big hit and a favorite treat!
We also gathered together for our wrap-up meeting to review the plan for checking out of the dorms tomorrow morning so everyone knows exactly what to expect.
Right now, students are participating in their final evening programs. As a reminder, the two activities tonight are the Night Walk and Wind Turbines. Half of our group headed out on a night walk to the telescope pad to observe stars and planets. It is shaping up to be a clear night, so we are hoping they get to see some incredible sights in the night sky. The other half of the group is busy building and testing wind turbines. Their challenge is to design turbines that capture the most kinetic energy from moving air in order to generate renewable electricity.
We have a feeling the students are going to sleep very well tonight. It has been a full day packed with activities, and they have been on the move for most of it.
We wish you all a good night, and we look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow afternoon!
2:30 PM
Hello Spartan families!
Just a quick midday update from AstroCamp. Our students are continuing to rotate through some of the exciting classes here, including Lights & Lasers, Building & Launching Rockets, Cosmic Lander, and the Ropes Course. Today another favorite has joined the mix as several groups have begun the Zipline class as well!
It has been so fun watching many of our students challenge themselves and conquer fears on both the Ropes Course and the Zipline. These activities build confidence and encourage students to support and cheer each other on. A.E. Wright students have only been able to participate in these particular classes for the past two years, so we feel very lucky that our students get to experience them.
One of the chaperones’ favorite parts of this trip is watching the students interact with each other in nature without technology. I mentioned this during the parent webinar, but it really is something special to see. During their free time, students have been playing frisbee, human foosball, basketball, GaGa ball, reading, walking, talking, laughing, running around, and even just sitting and enjoying the beautiful views and each other’s company.
The smiles and laughter are everywhere, and it has been wonderful to see the students connecting, encouraging one another, and making great memories together. More updates to come later!
7:15 AM
Good morning, Spartan families!
We are happy to report that our first night at AstroCamp was a success! Because our group has the later meal schedule, breakfast was not until 8:00 AM this morning. That meant the students were able to enjoy a little extra sleep after a full day of exciting activities yesterday.
Of course, “sleeping in” at camp can mean different things to different people. While the schedule allowed for a slower morning, many of the students were up bright and early as soon as the sun started coming up, ready for another full day of adventure. Let’s just say the students were much more enthusiastic about the early morning than some of the chaperones might have preferred!
Everyone is in great spirits this morning and excited to jump into another day of hands-on science, teamwork, and outdoor fun here at AstroCamp. We are looking forward to sharing more updates and photos with you throughout the day!
8:00 PM
We have had such a fun first afternoon and evening at AstroCamp! Students jumped right into their classes and have already had some amazing experiences. Some of the activities our groups visited today included Lights & Lasers, Building & Launching Rockets, Cosmic Lander, and the Ropes Course. It has been so exciting to see them learning while having so much fun.
We also want to apologize in advance if you do not see a photo of your student posted every day. We promise we are taking plenty of pictures! Our AEW teacher chaperones have been snapping photos throughout the day, but the camp Wi-Fi can be a bit slow when it comes to uploading them. Thank you for your patience while we get them posted. We will continue uploading pictures throughout the trip and even during the drive home.
Tonight, half of our group will head out on a night walk to the telescope pad to view stars and planets. It is shaping up to be a clear night, so we are hoping they get to see some incredible sights in the night sky. The other half of the group will be building and testing wind turbines. Their challenge is to design turbines that harness the most kinetic energy from moving air to generate renewable electricity. This activity is always a big hit with students!
After their evening classes, we will head back to the dorms to get ready for bed and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is a full day of learning and adventure, and we cannot wait for all the experiences still ahead.
We are already having such a wonderful time and are excited for what the rest of the trip will bring!
Remember, "NO NEWS, IS GOOD NEWS!"
2:00 PM
We have moved into our dorms, and just finished our "Mission Briefing" (tour of AstroCamp). The students are just about to start their first of two classes today. Stay tuned for more pictures to upload as the trip progresses.
12:00 PM
We have arrived! The students are currently eating their lunches in the meadow.
9:00 AM
We are currently on the road to AstroCamp! We are just about to pass the Rose Bowl. Our ETA is 11:45.
Remember, "NO NEWS, IS GOOD NEWS!"