St. Vincent School holds star party
By Sara Weikel, The Valley Journals (May 6,2009)

St. Vincent de Paul 6th graders Sarah Kranz (at telescope) and Saylor Soinski enjoy themselves at the school’s first annual star party.

The world got a little bigger for students at St. Vincent de Paul School recently.

Students, parents and teachers gathered in the school parking lot on Apr. 27 for an evening of stargazing. Members of the Salt Lake Astronomical Society hosted the star party, allowing students to use their own telescopes, and answering questions about our solar system and beyond.

“I think it’s cool that we get a chance to expand on learning about the solar system outside of school,” said 6th grader Saylor Soinski.

Arranged by St. Vincent science teacher Deborah Ferree, the star party was the culmination of the astronomy segment of the school’s 6th grade science curriculum. The star party connected the 6th graders with astronomers as a resourse should they ever decide to pursue astronmomny themselves, and also taught them more about the world they live in, Ferree said.

“This gives them an opportunity to actually see what they’ve already learned.”

The rest of the school was invited in the hopes that the party would open up the younger children to the idea of astronomy, and pique their interest, she said.

Dan Filler, star party coordinator for the Salt Lake Astronomical Society, is passionate about his science, he said. However, as a kid he knew astronomy existed, but didn’t know much about it until he started attending star parties himself.

“It’s almost outreach,” he said. “It’s an effort to increase awareness about astronomy.”

Participating in star parties also gives children a sense of how much universe is out there, and perspective on how tiny our own planet is, he said.

Anyone who would like to arrange a star party free of charge can contact Filler at 801-557-5687.

Ferree plans to make the star party annual for St. Vincent’s, she said.

Photo credit the Valley Journals