Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • June 20, 2012 Ho-Ho-Kus Students meet one NASA employee, Skype another by Jennifer Crusco Bill Marinelli of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration recently addressed the sixth grade students at the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School. In addition to Marinelli’s talk, the students were able to use Skype to speak with NASA scientist Dr. Bob Anderson to learn more about “Curiosity,” the rover that will be landing on Mars in August. Ho-Ho-Kus Public School Principal Dr. Alexis Eckert explaining that the district has a personal connection with NASA through Marinelli, who grew up in Ho-Ho-Kus and attended the public school. “His program was for the entire sixth grade and was an extension of their studies of the astronomy and the universe,” she added. Commenting on the Dr. Alexis Eckert, Martha Walsh, Bill Marinelli, Chris Kumar; and students Simas, Emily, and Skype conversation, Jordan, showing off their NASA backpacks. Martha Walsh, director of Based on the scientist’s discussion with the students, student services at the K-8 school, added, “I don’t think it really hit the kids until afterward. (Dr. Anderson) showed Walsh reported that, when he was in grade school, Dr. us the computer so we could see what he was working on, Anderson’s parents took him to look at the stars, and sparked a life-long interest. and answered personal questions from the students.” She added that the program with Marinelli and Anderson allowed the students to envision possible career paths in the future. “We don’t even know what new positions will be available in the future,” Walsh noted. Asked about the district’s relationship with Marinelli, Walsh noted that he had reached out to the school and spoke to the students for the first time last year. At that time, Marinelli discussed the moon with the second grade students. Walsh said Marinelli arranged for a scientist working in Florida to show the students NASA images of the moon that are not available to the general public. Walsh, who came to the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School from the Cresskill schools 10 years ago, had been using a Starlab portable planetarium in her prior district. She then brought the program to Ho-Ho-Kus, allowing students in kindergarten through grade three to view the constellations, the continents, and more while inside the planetarium. “We get it every year,” Walsh said of the portable device. “A fan inflates it. It’s 18 feet in the middle, and fits like a tent into a knapsack.” Because of its size, the portable planetarium is inflated in the multi-purpose room. Dr. Eckert added, “Mrs. Walsh has done a fabulous job of providing so many quality experiences for the students.” The principal noted that Walsh’s passion and enthusiasm for learning, and for science in particular, have been contagious. The principal added that the district strives to provide the students with authentic learning experiences at every opportunity. A private donation from borough residents Gordon and Laurie Hamm has allowed the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus to add two new lightning detection devices to its existing system. The donation, announced last week, was approximately $3,500 and covered the cost of one of the two new devices, which employ strobe lights, but no audible alarms, when lightning is present. The devices have been installed at the north end of the school on Lloyd Road near the tennis courts, and at the south end of the school near the baseball diamond, according to John Hanlon, the Ho-Ho-Kus Office of Emergency Management’s mitigation officer. Gordon Hamm, who is currently serving as president of the athletic association, explained that the additional detection devices were needed to increase visibility and awareness of lightning. He noted that not all of the sports Donation supports lightning detection system teams were able to see the original devices, which are located at North Field and Lloyd Road Field. “Laurie and I have always enjoyed giving back to our town; it’s been great to us,” Hamm said. Funds for the original elements of the borough’s lightning detection system were procured through a 2010 private fundraising campaign spearheaded by Ho-Ho-Kus resident Carol Tyler. Tyler, who is captain of the borough’s ambulance corps, worked with the Ho-Ho-Kus Office of Emergency Management and the Ho-Ho-Kus Recreation Department to bring the lightning detection system to the borough’s fields. The private funds she helped raise were combined with a matching grant from the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund so the project could be carried out without the use of tax dollars. Donated funds that were not needed to fund the cost of (continued on page 7)