FRED program aids teachers, students alike

by Jenni Luckett
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 2:09 PM MST

The children entered the gym at Fort Caspar Academy emitting sounds of wonder.

“Oooh,” gasped a little girl as she walked through the door. She immediately looked up to a screen showing the Space Shuttle.

“Oh, sweet! Space!” another student giggled excitedly to his classmate.

The presentation hadn’t even started, but the students were enthralled.

On Nov. 29, all students at FCA, as well as upper-level students at Woods Learning Center, received a lesson in life from six-time Shuttle astronaut Story Musgrave.

Using images from space, nature and technology, Musgrave guided them on a journey of life’s many possibilities and opportunities.

For most people, the experience would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. For students in the Natrona County School District, it’s just another day.

Musgrave’s trip to Casper was sponsored by the district’s playfully named FRED program (Fabulous Recreational Enrichment Days).

This program brings enrichment opportunities to children all over the county, enhancing their day-to-day learning with inspiration.

Many days, the presentations come from local community members. Representatives from the Natrona County Public Library, the Nicolaysen Art Museum, the Science Zone, Painted Past or other local artists, scientists and ad hoc educators bring education to life with hands-on activities and real-world experiences.

Several times a year, FRED goes a step further, bringing in “big name” presenters, such as Musgrave, to gives students a look at the world outside of Casper.

Past visitors have included other astronauts, as well as Olympians, musicians and professional athletes.

FRED is about more than hiring guest speakers in schools, though. It’s also about helping make everyday education better.

Right at home

Created by school district employee Kelly Eastes, FRED is a unique alternative to the traditional teacher in-service day.

“The district wanted to find more time for teachers for professional development, but they wanted to do it inside the existing contract time,” Eastes explained.

“The original idea was that kids would be bussed all over the community.”

That, however, proved problematic. So instead, Eastes designed a solution where local museums and professionals, as well as national figures, could come right to the children in their classroom.

“We do that enrichment with the kids in a safe environment, in their home school,” he said.

Meanwhile, their teachers have an opportunity to develop their own teaching skills. Teachers can plan collaborative lessons together, visit teachers in other schools to learn about what their peers are doing to improve instruction, or they can even take classes to build up their teaching abilities.

“Ideally, what it would do is help break down the walls of the classroom,” Eastes said. “Hopefully, they can take a team approach to educating the kids.”

For example, on Nov. 29, teachers at Fort Caspar Academy participated in grade-level meetings, giving teachers at each different grade an opportunity to collaborate and plan their lessons together.

Meanwhile, students took turns watching the assembly from Musgrave in the gym while their peers participated in “centers” around the school.

In one classroom, John Stoke, an educator with the Space Telescope Science Institute, showed students what work on the Hubble Telescope looks like today.

A representative from the Natrona County Public Library read students a story about the natural “music” made by animals in the jungle, then let them create their own jungle song by playing instruments together.

The Nicolaysen Art Museum brought drawing lessons to the school, while students made paint prints with Your Ride.

And the Science Zone taught kindergartners about the “Science of Santa.” A hard-boiled egg sucked into a bottle by air pressure might explain how Santa gets down your chimney, for example.

Sparking interests

Everyone benefits, explained FRED program facilitator Lori Burns.

By presenting in schools, she said, local museums have an opportunity to build their audiences and enhance their educational programming.

When the national presenters come in for school presentations, they also can be booked for community events, improving educational and recreational opportunities for all citizens.

Most importantly, though, students are given another opportunity to find the inspiration that sparks their love of learning.

“It’s not just about filling time,” Burns said. “It’s about giving experiences that spark an interest for them, whether in recreation or something they might end up doing later in life.

“It’s about giving them experiences they might not have otherwise, and that’s important.”

The program works, said Musgrave, who made his third visit to Casper last week through FRED.

“They get to see a different life, but a life they can take to their own life. It brought the kids a different perspective, a different personality, and opened their eyes to things,” he said.

“Also, they know the school cared enough to bring someone in. Somebody cared. They know, ‘They did that for me.’”

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