Outreach Blog

Throughout the school year I visit many classrooms, work with thousands of students, and there are never two programs alike.  Although schools may request the same program, I hand it over to the inquiring students to lead the way.  …always different questions, stories…

After talking about the extreme weather that surrounds Mt. Washington I’ll talk to the students about the daily tasks of an MWO Observer and it’s usually followed by, “Wow!” or “No way!”

I recently received this quote from a teacher who’s class I visited back December, “I think the best praise for the Mount Washington Observatory’s educational workshops came from one of our fifth grade students.  He came in the day after Michelle’s visit and said, ‘Mrs. B, last night I dreamt that I was an observer on the summit of Mount Washington.  I had to keep getting up to check the weather instruments and free them from rime ice.  Man, the wind kept blowing me down!’”  -Christa Biche, 5/6 Teacher Pine Tree School

Some students ask about our winter transportation to the summit from the base.  “How does your staff get to the Observatory in the winter if everything is closed?”  I explain that we travel by a snow tractor.  I’ll share photos, which again are followed by “ooohs” and “ahhhs” or maybe just a “WOW!”  I remember one first grade student asking, “So, what kind of fuel does that thing take?  And, how many miles does it have?”  Who new I would need to know the details of our transportation?

Michelle Cruz

Outreach Coordinator

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Well, no matter where you are living, you can attest that 2008 definitely welcomed some wacky weather.

This past week the summit of Mount Washington experienced above freezing temperatures…quite unusual for this time of year.  

“We reached a high on Monday of 39 degrees, tying our daily record high for January 7th, set in 1998. Yesterday, we saw temperatures hover right around 41 degrees for the better part of the day, however no records were tied or broken as the record high for January 8th is 45 degrees set in 1998,” mentioned in the Observer Comments by Brian Clark, Educational Observer.

We need to think cold!...and snow.

Although, I must admit, this strange weather did make my travels in the Weathermobile a pleasure.

This week I had the opportunity to visit the students of The Winfield Children’s House and the Windham Center School.  I had a blast!  Then again, when do I not have a blast?  I mean, even when things don’t always go as planned…like when I arrived at the Windham Center School and realized that I didn’t have my charger cable (a.k.a. brick) for my laptop and the battery life had just ended.  Ok, now I could’ve stressed over it, but the technical staff, Nina and John, at the Windham Center School weren’t going to let that happen.  They set me up with one of their computers and the presentation continued.  Or, as some might say, “the show must go on.”  Thank you both for your help!

The students were wonderful…patient and attentive.  Thank you.

Michelle Cruz

Educational Outreach Coordinator

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Happy New Year!

...and, what a fantastic start for 2008.  For those of you located in the Northeast area of the U.S. you may recall that 2007 hardly received snow.  It was a hard hit for the ski industry.  Well, here in New Hampshire skiers were on the slopes during Jan 1, 2008.  Once again I would like to say, Happy New Year!

I would also like to share with you information about a fantastic program that is being offered right here at the Mount Washington Observatory.  It's one of our EduTrip programs. 

Interested in experiencing New Hampshire's highest peak in winter? Intrigued by the possibility of learning more about the mountain, so that you can then share that knowledge with your students? The Mount Washington Observatory will be offering an overnight educational session atop Mount Washington on Thursday-Friday, January 17-18, 2008. The trip is a special offering in the Observatory's "EduTrip" series, and will take a look at a variety of scientific topics, including weather, climate, alpine ecology and geology, which relate to the mountain and its environment. The session includes snow tractor transportation up and down the mountain, overnight stay at the summit weather station, meals, instruction, and materials, plus a year's membership in the non-profit Observatory. Regular rate for the trip is $504; a special rate for this specific trip of $325 is available for educators.

(Because of the rigors of the mountain in winter, all participants need to be in good health, good physical condition, and appropriately clothed and equipped for extreme weather. Some clothing and equipment can be borrowed from the Observatory.)

For more information about the EduTrip series, visit http://www.mountwashington.org/education/edutrips/

For more information about this opportunity, contact:

Peter Crane Director of Programs,

Mount Washington Observatory

P.O. Box 2310

North Conway NH 03860

pcrane@mountwashington.org

(800) 706-0432 x 203.

All the best in 2008!

Space is limited, so please get in touch soon!

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