will.illinois.edu/prairiefire/episode/pf2007-05-03 WILL, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Series Episode WILL has fun and learns something about science at the Orpheum Children's Science Museum in Champaign; we watch some amazing kids designing and building robots and structures out of Legos; we travel to Rockome to meet the Condill family and walk through their pumpkin patch; we travel to Cave-In-Rock State Park and see the natural wonders there Abstract Segment Historical Landmarks, Parks/Outdoor Recreation, WILL Custom Prairie Fire Subject Headings Eleanore Stasheff Producer Segment Agriculture/Agribusiness, Family history, Horticulture, WILL Custom Prairie Fire Subject Headings The Great Pumpkin Patch by Shane Pangburn When I was in third grade, I sprained my ankle at the Great Pumpkin Patch. Though the ankle has actually never completely healed, I have nothing but fond memories of the place. The displays are so beautiful, the gourds so varied, it’s overwhelming. It’s better than just a “great” pumpkin patch. The day was split between rural theme parks. Rockome is only a few miles away and went there in the afternoon. The morning is the best time at the patch anyway. “When the the frost is on the punkin…” as the James Whitcomb Riley poem goes. It wasn’t a terribly cold day, it was windy though, you might notice that it you look closely at anything not tied down. Overall it was a beautiful day at the patch and the Condill family was fantastic. They helped every step of the way. Abstract Shane Pangburn Producer Segment Champaign, Champaign County, Hobbies, Science/Nature, WILL Custom Prairie Fire Subject Headings First Lego League by Eleanore Stasheff When I heard about a team of six middle school girls who designed a robot out of Legos that was going to an international competition in the Netherlands, the first thing I thought was “Wow, I can barely build a house out of legos.” I decided that their story had be told – people had to know about a group of kids from Champaign, Ill., who could make a nationally award-winning robot. It sounded like the kind of fairy-tale story that happens in movies and after-school specials, but that you would never think about happening in your own backyard. It was a Saturday afternoon in late April when I first met the team, well three of them. I arrived at the unassuming Next Generation Middle School and filmed B-roll footage with Bridget Mueller-Brennan, Elinor and Yasmin Nadir, and the two coaches Joe Muskin and Jim Brennan. As I filmed them working on improving their robot I was stunned to see how smart and creative these girls were. They were not only building a robot in front of me, but they were programming it and making it perform simple tasks. They had problems getting the robot to move correctly and spent most of the two hours I was there adjusting the programming and discussing what the problems were and how they could be fixed. They were children, but talked like college students as they munched on popcorn and sifted through boxes of complex Legos that I don’t think they sold when I was kid. All around me in this small, three-room school that was next door to a Cardinal Fitness gym were pictures that were drawn by 10- or 12-year-olds that were better than pictures I could draw now. Signs in multiple languages hung on the walls, or sat on desktops. I could feel an aura of creativity and an encouragement of learning that I wished every school had, and I must confess I was rather envious that Next Generation wasn’t around when I was in school. I was incredibly impressed with the knowledge and imagination that the three girls presented as I filmed them, and the encouragement and excitement of the coaches as I talked with them. I would have liked to interview all of the girls, but time constraints prohibited me from interviewing them on more than one day, so only two of the girls were interviewed. I’m just so impressed with those girls, and with the coaches and the school for having a program like this that encourages learning science and computer skills in a fun and competitive way, and I only hope the Prairie Fire segment about them adequately shows how amazing they are, and how amazing it is that they went so far in their first year. I want to thank Aramael Pena-Alcantara and the Pena-Alcantara Family for providing all the great pictures and footage from the First Lego League contest in the Netherlands, and Amy Mueller for being a vital communications link with the team, and for sending out the press release that let me know about this remarkable group of girls. Abstract Eleanore Stasheff Producer Segment Arts/Culture, Champaign, Champaign County, Illinois Culture/History, Libraries/Museums/Cultural Centers, Livestock/Animals/Zoology, Science/Nature, WILL Custom Prairie Fire Subject Headings Orpheum Science Museum by Elif Basar In college I read somewhere that the Orpheum Children’s Science Museum was looking for volunteers, and they were holding a volunteer orientation. I had never heard of this place, and I was not even aware that a children’s museum even existed in Champaign. I had done previous volunteer work with children and science, so I thought this would be a fun opportunity. I went to check out this tiny museum, which I had passed by several times in the past, and hardly noticed. I was pleased when I walked inside. Who knew at the time that what looked like an abandoned area of downtown held such a colorful and promising place? The answer is, not many people. Apparently, I was not the only one who was unaware of it. I volunteered for some of their special events’ weekends, which drew in a modest number of people. I had such a wonderful time explaining different scientific concepts to children, and seeing them engaged and actually interested in what I was saying. Children were really enjoying themselves, not even noticing that they were learning at the same time. I have always felt that places like these are very important for our community to have. Many of the surrounding communities have had established children’s museums for some time, and it is only in the last decade that Champaign has joined them. I wanted more people to be aware of this place, and its importance, so that is can continuously grow and improve as planned. Already this has started, as I observed by the crowd it drew in this January at the event Prairie Fire filmed. Children were all over the place, participating in hands on experiments and demonstrations. Trying to film them in action was a bit of a challenge, since they would run as soon as they noticed the camera. Virginia Steffen still managed to sneak up on them, and get some great shots before they noticed. We had a wonderful time that Saturday shooting this. I really hope more people take notice of this neat little place, and will help to support it. Abstract Elif Basar Producer WILL-TV, University of Illinois Copyright Holder Publisher ¬© 2009 University of Illinois 2007-05-03T08:01:00-06:00 2007-05-03T08:01:00-06:00 video/mp4 http://willmedia.atlas.uiuc.edu/mpeg4/pf2007-05-03.mp4 Moving Image MPEG video MPEG-4 00:28 eng pf2007-05-03.mp4 WILL Public Media, University of Illinois 2007-05-03T08:01:00-06:00 2007-05-03T08:01:00-06:00 video/x-flv http://willmedia.atlas.uiuc.edu/flash/pf2007-05-03.flv Moving Image Flash Video Flash Media 8 00:28 eng pf2007-05-03.flv WILL Public Media, University of Illinois 2007-05-03T08:01:00-06:00 2007-05-03T08:01:00-06:00 video/vnd.rn-realvideo http://willmedia.will.uiuc.edu/ramgen/pf2007-05-03.rv Moving Image 00:28:00