2024 IMPACT REPORT
Each year, OSC releases a Community Impact Report to highlight the year’s goals, outcomes, finances, and stories that shaped our work.
some exciting OSC stats and click the link below to read through this year’s entire Community Impact Report.
This year's edition shares how we continue to challenge ourselves to dream bolder, reach farther, and build bigger. You'll find stories about our most ambitious exhibit to date, Life; the one-of-a-kind Spark STEM Fest; and the exciting programs which happen beyond the Science Center’s walls with Neighborhood Science.
Orlando Science Center reaches hundreds of thousands of people each year as we connect the dots between the fun and wonder of science and its realworld applications Check out
Do you know where this photo was taken in the Science Center?
The first five people to use the QR code to submit the correct location will win an OSC pinback button!
OSC UPDATES
SCIENCE UNDER THE SCOPE
Alia Carter, Professional Development Lead from the Science Museum of Minnesota, will be traveling to Orlando Science Center for a National
Science Foundation grant
All staff and volunteers are invited to join Alia as we discuss the visual zine Science Under the Scope by Sophia Wang.
The zine asks big questions about the objectivity of science and who stands to gain from certain scientific research.
Science Under the Scope Discussion
Thursday, December 5 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Light snacks will be provided!
If you’d like to join us, use the QR code to RSVP.
WE ARE “OFFICIALLY AMAZING”
If you hadn’t heard, Orlando Science Center set a new Guinness World Record for the Most people flying paper rockets simultaneously!
On Saturday, November 16 we had 262 people successfully launch their paper rockets (on the first attempt, woohoo) to give us the world record title!
HARDT
Lisa is a skilled grantwriter who excels in crafting well-written, concise, and compelling grant narratives that allow the Science Center to undertake exciting new projects Her nomination read, “There are so many aspects to constructing the perfect grant proposal, and nobody does it better than Lisa!”
From the organization of the entire process, to the small details that make a perfect proposal, Lisa’s hard work consistently secures important funds to enhance our mission
Click here to watch a recap from Orange TV!
This moment in history would not have happened without months of planning, preparation, and logistics from our staff; the day-of coordination from many teams; and the volunteers and community members who ensured all of the Guinness World Record rules and regulations were followed. Congrats everyone!
SPARKS
SPARK WINNER
Arifa Alli
Mac Bodden
Tatum Byrnes (2)
Mary Cloer (2)
Sam Drumond
Alyssa Flores
Simone Gomaa (2)
Yami Gonzalez
Beth Hall (2)
Caprice High
Ollie Hull (2)
Daphne Kemak
Tom Leahy (2)
Katyiana LeBlanc
Kirby Lee (2)
We received the highest score on this year’s Orange County Cultural Tourism application, and with her help we have been awarded $13.97 million for upcoming renovations!
Sky Lindeman (2)
Zachary Mailhot
Olivia Marchinke
Jackie Marquez
Yangelis Martinez
Valentine Murphy (2)
Amanda Paneque (2)
Patrick Pereira
Travis Potts
Thank you, Lisa!
Zsalaya Santana
Jess Spelman
Margaret Spencer (2)
Grant Summers (2)
Sue Sweetland (2)
Jenny Volz
ZSALAYA SANTANA
DEC 2
DECEMBER
DINO-MITE MONTH
During OSC Break Camps, please make sure you are not passing through the Clubhouse or using the Clubhouse Restrooms or SDC Restrooms! DEC 4 WED Employee Holiday Party
DEC 24 & 25
TUE & WED OSC is Closed
Deck the halls this month with all things fossils and wrap up the year as we twinkle during Dinos In Lights!
7
Kids Night at the Museum
DEC 7 & 8 SAT & SUN Bank of America Weekend
DEC 14 & 15 SAT & SUN Paleontology Party DEC 31 TUE Afternoon Year’s Eve
DEC 26 & 27
DEC 30 & 31 Break Camps
BREAK CAMP REMINDERS:
Availableshowsinclude:
Volcanoes:TheFiresofCreation DinosaursAlive! AmazonAdventures
DinosaursofAntarctica ToTheArctic SeaMonsters JourneyIntoAmazingCaves
Availableshowsinclude: Elephants Meerkats3D
Dinosaurs Alive!
Journey with some of the world’s preeminent paleontologists of the American Museum of Natural History in the Gobi Desert and the sandstone buttes of New Mexico.
Researchers make new discoveries about dinosaur behavior and their environments, find what could be the oldest dinosaur ever unearthed, and uncover evidence that the descendants of dinosaurs still walk among us.
It’s Dinosaurs Alive!
COMMUNITY COMMENTS
We purchased a family membership today and we are incredibly excited to visit more often with our toddler!
Thankyou forproviding asomethingentertaining ndeducationalfor my grandsons. We hada blast!!
Our field trip class really enjoyed the To Infinity and Beyond show :)
Mykidsabsolutelylovethe GuinnessWorldRecord exhibit.We'veseenit3 timesnowandtheycannot getenough.
The students in our school program loved the engineering challenges and achieving their goals It was a great experience! OSC BY THE NUMBERS
TheStoryTimewasamazing.My childoftenstrugglessittingstill butshewaslaughingandengaged thewholetime.
6,510 13,637 2,373 FISCAL MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2024
LET’S CELEBRATE!
DEBRA GORDON - 35 years Exec Admin NICOLE RIVERA
NICOLE RIVERA - 11 years Teacher PD
EVELYN GARCIA - 8 years School Programs
STEPHEN HOLT
MARGARET SPENCER
KAYLAH
He loved cats and writing witty stories, but he hated suspenders. Samuel Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, hated his old suspenders so much, in fact, that he invented and patented an alternate solution for keeping his trousers up.
MONA DE TORRES - 3 years Graphics
JUDY BRICKER - 24 years
STEPHEN HOLT - 2 years Facilities
May 30
JENNY VOLZ - 2 years Life
JUDY BRICKER - 24 years
May 30
KESH PERSAUD - 2 years School Programs
JUDY BRICKER - 24 years
ARILDA JACKSON - 2 years Offsites
May 30
YARI CUEVAS - 2 years Camps & Classes
G DUNNIVANT - 1 year Guest Services
GABE QUIJANO - 1 year Guest Services
TRINITY WILLIAMS - 1 year Guest Services
ALICE THEIBAULT - 1 year Camps & Classes
In December 1871, his "improvement made for adjustable and detachable straps for garments" was a button-on adjustable strap that could be used to pinch a shirt at the waist. It was one of a handful of patents that he held.
Modern suspenders were only about 50 years old by the time Clemens worked to replace them. He disliked suspenders so much, that his patent application read, "The advantages of such an adjustable and detachable elastic strap alternative are so obvious that they need no explanation.”
Clemens would go on to secure two other patents (for a self-pasting scrapbook and a history trivia game).
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WELCOMETO THETEAM
Recent new hires include:
Celia Burke
Maggie Gamson
Kristopher Johnson
AJ Ingram
Regan Gatz
Alexandra McCrary
Adam Jackson
DIVERSITY AND BELONGING AS A
Museum staff in the United States are becoming more diverse, according to reports released over the last few years These reports show that progress is being made, but museum staff still remain more homogenous than the U.S. population at large, especially when it comes to the most powerful positions in the field.
TEAM
Most museums have tackled initiatives to make their organizations welcoming cultural and social spaces Having diverse teams is a model for more inclusive and welcoming communities, things that community-based organizations believe are important for a strong, successful, and resilient society.
A Mellon Foundations report found that museum teams are mostly female (61%), including senior and leadership roles. The report found that 35% of employees identified as People of Color (which is shy of the nearly 40% of people who identified as non-white in the 2020 Census).
From 2018-2021, the report concluded that museum teams have become more diverse overall Growth in leadership role diversity has been at a slower pace than other positions, however
Museums have worked at creating engaging and welcoming institutions -- and a good place to start is with a team of staff and volunteers who represent their communities.
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