Children in second through sixth grades who like to keep an eye on the sky are invited to attend a free astronomy club this Saturday. The monthly class meets at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on Hall Street and is under the direction of local teachers/sisters Cyndi Shaver and Janelynn Squires.

 

The educators, who acquired a passion for astronomy from their dad, keep their own eyes on space science through various organizations and events. Included is attendance at the Space Exploration Education Conference in Houston, Texas.

 

“This past February, we got to present as part of the conference,” Shaver said. “We presented ‘Keep Your Kids’ Eyes on the Skies’ – how to start an elementary based astronomy club.”

 

During the presentation, the ladies distributed CDs which contained a couple dozen lessons, along with ideas for creative, yet inexpensive classroom activities.

 

The astronomy enthusiasts have attended the conference twice and had opportunity to listen to and meet renowned astronauts.

 

“We’ve met Jerry Ross, B. Alvin Drew and Sally Ride,” Shaver said. “They are like our rockstars.”

 

The very first famous space traveler they met was Jon McBride.

 

“Our dad wanted to take an astronomy class that he taught. He said he would pay for it – and even do our homework – if we went with him,” said Shaver, about her introduction to astronomy sometime in the early- to mid-1990s.

 

Though that was their first official astronomy-related event, the family’s interest in the subject goes back much further.

 

“Dad was just really into it. When we were little, we’d go out in the back and look at the stars or go out for meteor showers,” Shaver said. “After he retired from Hope Gas, he had more time and wanted to learn about it.”

 

Shaver said her dad passed away three years ago, but not before being part of his girls’ astronomy club.

 

“He always supported it. It was something he really enjoyed and he would help,” said Shaver about the club she and her sister began four years ago at Norwood Elementary School.

 

“That’s where my sister taught so it was based in that building,” Shaver said. “Since she retired, we decided to bring it to Bridgeport.”

 

Students from Johnson, Simpson and Norwood elementary schools attend the hour-long class, held 10:30 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of the month. Following this Saturday’s session, the club will meet April 26.

 

“We always do an activity of some sort based around space science such as building rockets out of paper, comparing them and talking about how they work and why we need them. We talked about living in space and how astronauts survive in space – and why there is space to begin with,” Shaver said. “At the last meeting, we talked about different constellations and made them with marshmallows and toothpicks. The kids had to read a card and tell about the methodology behind it. So it’s all fun, but they are learning too.”

 

The club is affiliated with and supported by the Central Appalachian Astronomy Club, based out of Clarksburg.

 

“They help us pay for all our materials so we’re sort of under their little umbrella,” Shaver said.

 

Presently, about 20 students – including Shaver’s daughter Katie - participate in "Keep Your Eyes on the Sky." Projects planned for the coming months include a possible trip to the NASA facility in Fairmont and a nighttime star party.

 

“We’ll have guys from the club bring their big, fancy telescopes and their ‘big toys,’” Shaver said.

 

Parents can register children for the club via email at skies1@gmail.com.