Fujitsu Planetarium: Giving the Gift of the Stars (SJ Mercury Article)

Caron Blinick, Dean of Community and Continuing Education at De Anza, was alarmed last fall when apologetic teachers started calling to cancel their field trips. Others asked for special individual scholarships. She received a heart-rending letter from a third-grade teacher about how the trip to the planetarium is a "voyage of discovery" for students who are being introduced to science for the first time,
especially for English-language learners who can absorb so much more knowledge from seeing the constellations in the planetarium sky than merely reading about them in books.

"We all know that kids get hooked on science and math at an early age," Blinick said, "and if you miss that window, it's harder to get them into it later."

Canceling shows also hurts the planetarium, which depends on ticket sales to keep the star lights on.
Then Blinick came up with an idea: Why not ask folks in the community who love science to sponsor field trips? A $5 donation would cover the cost of one child; $150 would get a whole class in to see the show. For $700, she could fill the 140-seat auditorium.

Continue reading the full article by SJ Mercury Columnist, Patty Fisher...

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