Mike Kersja and Space is Special

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:25 pm

I just recieved a message from Mike Kersjas the author of a Smile as Big as the moon. His orginization Space Is SPecial is having a raffle to help out the orginization. Space Is SPaeial is an orginizzation he founded to help send special needs students like the ones in the book to space camp. check out spaceisspecial.com for information on the group. Anyway he is having a raffle that has a prize of an all expense paid trip to scotland or 7,500 dollars cash. Only 500 tickets are to be sold and are 100 dollars each. i know its expensive but if you can spare the money its a worthwile cause. Just thought i'd post his message and email here just incase anyone is intrested.

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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 10:26 AM
To: Runyon, Cassandra J.
Subject: Need Help!

Hi Cass,
I have a huge task before me and I need your and the TEAM'S help! I am sending you an attachment of a flyer that describes the tickets that I have started to sell to raise money for my special needs kids. We are only selling 500 tickets. The price of a ticket is $100.00 there is only one winner. The winner has a choice, a trip for four to golf in Scotland for a week, which includes airfare, lodging, and golf. Or they can take the $7,500 in cash.
If we can - the TEAM members' buy a ticket or help me sell these tickets I will be forever in their debt. The drawing will be held on December 16-06. I have sold 55 tickets myself but I am running out of time and places to go. Thanks for sending my plea out to the TEAM. Let's talk if you have any questions for me.

Take Care,
Mike
[email protected]

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:35 pm

Oh i also believe this is a tax deductible donation in the US atleast not sure about canada.

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 10:53 am

I'm already going on two trips to Scotland in 2008 and 2009. I know donations are tax deductible, no matter where we make them. (I donated to a tsunami relief fund in Sri Lanka and it counted.) However, winning prizes from other countries is a bag of worms on its own with taxes and stuff.

I couldn't spend $100 for a ticket right now anyway; $20 is more in my range.

Post by **Vincent** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:07 pm

Well, I suppose you and four others who would be in for $20 could by one and just agree to split the cash...

des · Post by **des** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:00 pm

This looks like an old thread, so don't mind if I just resurrect some of these. I'll try not to answer a three year old thread on 3 day Adult Space Camp.

Anyway I read this book when it first came out. Since I teach special ed. during the school year I tried to figure out what type of kids he worked with an could not. They seemed to be a mixed group.

From my experience, Space Camp/Academy was not so exclusive about kids. While I was there we had a kid with Cystic Fibrosous (sp?). terminal illness, from the Make a Wish foundation. He took 70 drugs a day.
Also my nephew, who had, at the time, severe behavior issues and mild autism, could have gone to the Parent-Child camp-- despite his age. They told me that they had an adult with Down's syndrome. Also I know of several parents with kids with Asperger's, a mild form of autism, who called the camp. They just laughed and said most of the kids at the camp had that! Perhaps it was the group of them that worried them, as I understand if there are behavior problems they just pack you up and send you back with no money back.

Anyway, I thought it was a good book. I sure hope they make a movie out of it. I got the book a few years ago, I think, so I wonder what the status of that project is.

--des

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:07 pm

How accepting space camp was depends on what time frame you are talking about also. The book being discussed took place in 1989 according to the author. I spoke with him at an educator confrence in july of 05 and he said that by ab9ut 1994 things were starting to open up alot more but that even after his group had gone down there it was still similar. 94 was about the time that Buckbee retired. I do remember in 91 and 93 when i went to camp and academy a science or math teacher or school administrator was still supose to sign your application. By 96 that was gone. I know parent child camp came later than 94 i don't know exactly when your camp experiance was Des but i do remember some of the things talked about in the book.

des · Post by **des** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:17 pm

I personally went to camp before 94. Not to say when, hehehe. But my nephew and I were goign to go to the Parent-Child camp after that. It never happened as something always came up.

BTW, I'd think reading would be an issue. At the time I went the children's application recommended a reading level of 4th grade--which seems necessary given the scripts and all. I think parent child is different, as they were ok with my nephew who didn't, at that time, read that well. I also remember the teacher signature. I'd sign for some of my kids now (I know it isn't in there now). I might not for others, more for behavior than anything.

Of course the adult camp was probably different. I don't remember we were the best and brightest.

I think they started the adult camp as they had constant comments of "How come the kids get all the fun?"
I did read stuff about the camp way back that did sound like these were unusually bright kids. There was also an ad that ran "Here it's cool to be smart." Of course some special ed. kids are smart. I have a kid who can pick up any instrument and play it, just like that. My nephew took all the light switches apart at age 2.

--des

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 6:52 pm

The movie is a go though they dumped jerry bruckheimer and walt disney because they were going in a direction that the author didnt like. Looks like Warner Brothers will now produce it under the working title Einsteins children Mathe Mcanehay that spelling is way off is playing the teacher. There is another post here somewhere with the lartest info i have heard just look around for it.