Little Star Goes to Space Camp

Little Star as Flight Director
in Mission Control

After being awarded the grant for "Feeling the Stars," the president of Lighthouse mentioned he takes a group of children who are blind and have low vision to Space Camp every year through SCIVIS 
(Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students).  He then asked me if I would like to chaperone.  He mentioned that it would of course be great for me to learn from some of the children "Feeling the Stars" will aim to serve when it grows past Little Star, and also to learn from and network with the Teachers for the Visually Impaired (TVI) and/or Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Teachers who I will most likely start seeing next year (at least the Missouri ones) with their students at the Planetarium.  Of course I said yes and prepared to help chaperone 32 children to Huntsville, Alabama for a week.



The entire week was INCREDIBLE!

Little Star contemplates the
climbing wall the Mach III
Aviation Challenge teams
are about to climb

I don't just mean being at Space Camp and Aviation Challenge (although that was fantastic too).  The kids.  I learned so much from them and the wonderful other chap-erones who were all TVIs and/or O&Ms.  The teachers were very kind and 





supportive, and some have already expressed interest in the program!  The kids there threw themselves into everything and grew so much during the week.  It was the second day that they all learned that I work at the Science Center and why I was there with them.  They were excited to hear about the program being created for them.  They also then started offering me advice and were so sweet in helping me learn as well!  

Little Star under Apollo XVI

They learned that I'd been wanting to go to Space Camp for 20 years and that it was my first time there too which was exciting to them as well.  By just a few days in they were checking to make sure I was going to try all the simulators with them and asking me questions 
about space 
and astronomy.  
They explained to me what they could see in the way of stars (i.e. no stars, a few of the brightest stars as faint pinpoints, most of the stars but no color), and how those stars appeared to them as well.  

The Blog Author and Little Star in the
Apollo Mockup

Of course I brought my prototype microwaveable plush of Little Star with me.  Some of the kids were really kind and helped me out by field testing one of my prototypes.  They studied Little Star, feeling his features and holding him close to their eyes.  HE PASSED THEIR TEST!  They said they could feel his features and tell that he was smiling and had cheeks and eyebrows and everything (although they suggested thicker eyebrows and using stuffed animal fur for his hair).  They liked Little Star and said he was good as he was and would be better with their two suggestions.  I was ELATED to know that the plush characters are heading in the right direction.



Thank you doesn't even begin to say enough to Lighthouse for the Blind - Saint Louis.  Your generosity and kindness are very much appreciated!  




The week was something I'll never forget and will always treasure.  These kids were some of the best teachers I've ever had.