Meet Llama, Founder of Stars Above
I began my career in education with the most incredible of opportunities: I managed a college observatory and portable planetarium - including research in observational astronomy and leading education programs. We had a lot of telescopes! I was basically paid to think about the Universe and our place in it. #bestjobever!
In this role, I brought our portable planetarium to nearby schools and fell in love with teaching in public schools. I explored existing research about how kids make sense of space, the Earth-Moon-Sun connection, and stars/stellar evolution.
I’ve been working as a science teacher, an administrator, and a professional development provider for many years now, but I’ve stayed connected to the stars through local community “observing the night sky” programs with my telescopes.
I’m passionate about astronomy, and I love to share what we know about the Universe! Let’s explore the stars together!
How we work
At Stars Above, we hold great respect for teachers and the profession of teaching. We communicate directly with educators as we prepare for school visits (and scout leaders in preparation for scout events!) so that we’re supporting their important work with students’ progress toward grade-level standards . We also celebrate the power of joy; we know that out-of-the-ordinary events can be a catalyst to drive students’ curiosity and passion for learning.
Field trips can be challenging to arrange, so we bring the stars to you! We partner with PTOs to identify funding opportunities that bring our state-of-the-art digital planetarium to your school, and we partner with community groups to apply for local grants to support our programs in and out of school settings.
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.” ― Joseph Campbell
