Exploradome comes to CRES

CRES Principal Colleen Abear and CLEF board member Barbara                                            Call standing in front of the Exploradome.
“On April 16th and April 17th the Cuyuna Lakes Education Foundation held its signature event for the 2012-13 school year. The ExploraDome portable planetarium from the University of Minnesota Bell Museum of Natural History was brought to CRES. All CRES students (589) from kindergarten to sixth grade were able to participate in this event. Additional evening sessions were held for the general public.

The ExploraDome is an immersive learning environment that inspires minds, using the latest in display technology, to make dynamic earth and space concepts come to life. For example, the students were able to visually zoom from earth right to the Curiosity Mars Rover and see images of the Martian terrain. There were a number of programs that were used such as “Changes in the Sky”, “The Night Sky”, and “The Solar System” depending on the age group. An expert educator from the staff of the museum conducted the sessions.

This event was privately funded by the Cuyuna Lakes Education Foundation with additional support from the Mille Lacs Energy Community Trust, CRES PTA, and individual donors. Community Education sponsored the evening program for the general public. Many thanks go to Principal Colleen Abear and the CRES staff for opening their school to this opportunity.

It is CLEF’s goal to enhance the education of C-I students every year with this kind of quality program. Please consider supporting CLEF when asked.”