Drone Sports Basics

Interested in getting involved with tiny whoop drone sports in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area? Here is the essential information.

1. The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST)

Pilots need to have passed the TRUST test in order to legally fly a drone for recreational reasons outside. (Different licensing is needed to fly outside for commercial and other non-recreational reasons including sharing your videos online (whether for profit or not.)
You are required to have your TRUST certificate with you whenever you are flying a drone of any size outside. Keep it with your transmitter (because you need to have that to fly as well).

Pilot Institute offers a free impossible-to-fail test for TRUST certification. If you get a question wrong, the test explains the answer to you and then you get to try answering the question correctly again right away. And if you still get it wrong, then you try again … and again. It also includes readings before each section that tell you the answers to the questions in that section. The test should take 30 minutes or less to complete.

trust.pilotinstitute.com

TRUST = The Recreational UAS Safety Test
UAS = Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Heads up! Make sure you both print and save a digital copy of your completion certificate at the end of the test. Pilot Institute cannot re-issue your completion certificate and the FAA cannot re-issue your completion certificate. If you lose your completion certificate, you will need to re-take TRUST using a new account on a new device and browser to obtain a new certificate. Your account will be deleted as soon as your certificate is issued. You must download and print your certificate immediately upon finishing.

(Many other organizations (such as the Academy of Model Aeronautics) also offer the free TRUST test.)

Flying Inside

You do not need a TRUST certificate to fly inside an enclosed structure.

2. FAA B4UFly App

Before flying a drone outside (including in your own backyard) you must (1) determine if you are in controlled or uncontrolled airspace (uncontrolled does not mean unregulated), (2) check for any permanent or temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) in your area, and (3) determine if you have permission from the landowner(s) (whether its private or public property) to take off and land (including crashing).

The FAA B4UFLY app provides information about controlled airspace, special use airspace, critical infrastructure, airports, national parks, military training routes and TFRs and a clear status indicator that lets you know where you can safely fly.

Airspace Authorization

If you will be flying in controlled airspace, you must get an FAA airspace authorization which alerts FAA Air Traffic Control (ATC) that there are drones in the area. Fortunately, FAA UAS Service Suppliers of LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) provides a near real-time automated application and approval process for airspace authorizations for most controlled airspace at or below 400ft. If you need to request an airspace authorization in an area not serviced by LAANC, you can use the FAA’s DroneZone, which can take up to 2 months.

3. Know Federal and State Laws

Keep abreast of the information for recreational drone operators from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Community-Based Organizations (CBO)

Officially, drone pilots must follow the safety guidelines of a community-based organization, but the FAA hasn’t yet begun officially recognizing CBOs for unmanned aircraft systems. In the meantime, recreational flyers should follow the safety guidelines of existing aeromodelling organizations (such as the Academy of Model Aeronautics) or use the FAA-provided safety guidelines per Advisory Circular 91-57B.

DRONE Registration

A tiny whoop drone should weigh less than 35 grams including its battery. If you are flying a drone that weighs more than 250 grams (0.55 pounds), it must be registered with the FAA and your FAA registration number is must be easily visible on the outside of the drone. Drones larger than 3 inches with prop guards are likely nearing this weight category. If your drone does not have prop guards, you will most likely approach this weight category if your drone is 4 inches or larger.

4. Start in a Simulator

Learn how to control a drone in a simulator before you try to fly one in real life. This is to both protect your equipment and to keep people, pets, wildlife, and random objects safe.

VelociDrone FPV Racing Simulation

The VelociDrone app with the Micro Class Quads add-on costs about $30. The Micro Class Quads add-on will let you fly a simulated version of many commercially available tiny whoop drones.

This is the app currently used by YDSC for almost all of their sim series, including both races and classes.

LiftOff Microdrones on Steam

Currently in beta, Liftoff is about $15 and its physics is quite promising. YDSC plans to transition its sim series to LiftOff when it’s ready.

5. Youth Drone Sports Championships (YDSC)

Join the YDSC Discord Server

The YDSC Discord Server is a good place to make connections with other youth pilots and adult mentors. You’ll get advice on starting a drone racing club, learning to fly, choosing a drone, and troubleshooting.

Join YDSC

$50 for 200 tokens (25¢/token)
$100 for 500 tokens (20¢/token)

YDSC offers both drone classes and drone racing series. A $50 (200 Tokens) YDSC membership is sufficient for either the MTS or sim series while $100 (500 Tokens) will allow pilots to participate in both real life and virtual classes and races.

You don’t need a TRUST certificate to participate in YDSC as all events are indoors (or in the simulator) but it’s still a good idea to have one.

Micro Track Smash 2022 (MTS)

MTS is an IRL* competition for teams of 2 to 4 pilots. Questions about MTS are best asked in the YDSC Discord Server #general channel.

* IRL stands for “in real life” (as compared to sim which is short for “in a simulator”)

In brief, MTS teams use ~$75 worth of PVC pipe and connectors to build small (10′ x 20′) reconfigurable tracks and a timing gate. New track configurations are released throughout the seasons. Times are recorded using the Youth Drone Sports mobile app running on an iOS device and participants also record their flights on their FPV googles and upload that DVR for verification. These are to used rank pilots and teams and to qualify for State Championships and Nationals. More details are on the YDSC website.

The cost for Spring 2022 is 100 tokens per pilot (which translates to either $20 or $25) and includes all MTS tracks and participation in the State Championships and Nationals:

YDSC Soaring Spring ‘22 Minnesota State Championships

Saturday 23 April 2022, 9 AM–2 PM *

Academy of Holy Angels, 6600 Nicollet Ave S, Richfield, MN 55423

* Pilots check in at 9 AM sharp.
Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.

A walkthrough of the course will be given at 9 AM sharp with practice rounds starting immediately afterward. Each pilot will be allowed 2 batteries for practice rounds. Qualifying rounds start immediately after the practice rounds, with each pilot allowed 1 battery. (Your MTS times qualify you to be at the event. Qualifying rounds on race day determine seeding for the day.)

Spectators are welcome starting at 11 AM and admission is free! Individual races (in sets of 4 pilots per race) begin at 11 AM followed by team races (in sets of 2 teams consisting of 2 pilots each).

All pilots should plan to stay until the end of the event when there will be a recognition of the winners and group photos.

YDSC Nationals

Sunday 1 May 2022, 12 PM–6 PM

Truly On Deck @ Target Field, 1 Twins Way, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Located on the Club Level in right field. Park on Level 3 of Ramp A (101 N 9th St, Minneapolis, MN 55403) for easy Skyway access.

* Pilots check in at 12 PM sharp.
Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.

Spectators are welcome starting at 2 PM and admission is free!

Race Day Etiquette

Pay attention! Be aware of race activities even when you’re not racing so that you hear your name and channel assignment called and can be on deck and ready to fly.
Do your part to keep the event on schedule. Be on deck if you’re racing next: lined up behind the currently racing pilots with all your gear (drone, transmitter, goggles, batteries).
When you finish your race, stay seated until all other racers have completed the course as well.
Don’t plug in your drone (to either batteries or USB) during a race (unless you are the one racing).
Listen to the instructions! Pilots may be asked to either fly their drones back to themselves when they finish the race or to land by the timing gate and then walk out to retrieve their drones after all racers have finished.
If you have a NewBeeDrone BeeBrain V3, be sure your power is set to 50 and not 5 or 120. Otherwise, ensure it’s set to 25.
Finish your current lap after the qualifying timer sounds.
Be ready to help out your fellow pilots (from your own team or any other team), if needed, including with repairs, channel switching, and understanding what is happening.
Before race day: Practice channel switching so that you can do this quickly and efficiently on race day.
Not etiquette but a good practice: Doublecheck the security of your battery connections before placing your drone on the starting line!

Other drone Racing organizations

6. Equipment

A Tiny Whoop Drone

You’ll want a 1S 65mm ducted micro quad drone tuned for angle mode.

NewBeeDrone AcroBee65 BLV3 BNF

~$140

Recommended by YDSC. This sturdy drone bashes really well and comes out of the box ready to bind, so it’s a good choice for new pilots.

Batteries

At least ten 1S LiPo batteries.

Battery charger

You’ll use this to discharge any unused batteries as well.

An FPV headset

DVR-capable headset or an external device for recording FPV video from flights.

FatShark Scout with MicroSD card

~$230

Recommended by YDSC.

A Transmitter

Also called a controller. Keep your TRUST certificate with your transmitter and store your transmitter in its case when not in use because if it lands on its gimbals, it’s done.

Get a comfortable neck strap for your transmitter as well so that your hands can be free to manage your drone and batteries.

RadioMaster T8 Lite V2 Multi-Protocol D8 2.4GHz RC Transmitter

~$40

Highly affordable, relatively sturdy, and very reliable.

RadioMaster Zorro Radio Controller – CC2500

~$100

Recommended by the YDSC.

Your Race Day Kit

Your 1S 65mm ducted micro quad drone
Your FPV goggles
Your transmitter (controller)
a neck strap for your transmitter (so that your hands can be free to manage your drone and batteries)
all of your batteries, charged (if appropriate — some batteries should not be pre-charged)
your battery charger
a battery pack
optionally, a power strip (possibly with an extension cord) (I prefer to rely on a battery pack)
any and all cables that you need to run your equipment
prop remover
magnetic screwdriver
needlenose pliers
spare parts: bring everything you have including frames, props, and screws
wear your team’s jersey (if your team has them)
wear your team’s pilot badge (if your team has them)
a water bottle

Other Useful Things

a pronounceable family-friendly pilot name (without any special characters). This will be used as both your Discord nickname on the YDSC Discord Server and your VelociDrone user name. It is also how you will be referred to during races.
a Discord account (pilots younger than 13 should use their parents’ Discord account)
a YDSC account

Part 107 Commercial Drone License

This license allows you to fly for many (but not all) non-recreational purposes.

If you are 16 years old or older and are interested in a Part 107 license, I recommend Pilot Institute’s Part 107 Commercial Drone License Course (currently $149).

Volunteering for the Silverwood Park Teen Arts Council

Silverwood Park Teen Arts Council (STAC) is looking for volunteers for June 2022–March 2023! I have been volunteering at Silverwood Park as a member of STAC since the 2018-2019 volunteer year and have made many wonderful connections. As a member, I’ve been able to work with a great group of other teens to plan, host, and run teen-focused events. I really recommend joining STAC!

I really love creating the haunted trail every fall. One of my favorites was the year we set up a zip line and hung a ghost from it that flew across the trail. Most years, we have teen volunteers in costumes hiding in the woods to jump out and frighten the guided tours. Some volunteers really enjoy being the tour guide, but I most enjoy being out on the trail spooking our guests and ensuring that everything is running smoothing.

STAC members also get to explore pupperteering in the Ned the Naturalist puppet shows. I loved playing Trasher, Doominator of Nature! Trasher may be a trash can but he’s also a very fun character who just never seems to learn, no matter how many times Ned explains the importance of protecting the natural world. He’s garbage, and he’s out to destroy the environment. I enjoyed developing the perfect voice to express the true nature of this misguided trash can.

Being a member of STAC also opens you up to all the other fantastic volunteer opportunities at Silverwood:

I particularly enjoy volunteering as a teen counselor for the Nature Protector‘s summer camp where I teach small children how to build boffers and wage mock battles. We spend the beginning of this camp teaching the campers arts and crafts themed around fantasy weapons, armor, magic, and nature including how to build boffers. On the second to last day, I spend part of the day teaching the campers proper sword fighting techniques and boffering etiquette. On the final day of camp, we have a game of capture the flag. Pre COVID-19, I recruited a small group of my fellow teen LARPers, and we waged epic capture-the-flag battles parkwide.

Silverwood’s Field Trip is an annual celebration of the arts and nature of Silverwood Park. This free outdoor family event has many activities that need volunteer helpers, but I most enjoy teaching slacklining and stilt walking.

I volunteered as a unicorn wrangler at two Candy Cane Hunts! I got to be outside for the whole event and interacted with lots of excited youngsters and helped to ensure they had a wonderful time while respecting the boundaries of this magical beast.

I’ve also participated in a sketch at Climate Conversations with other teens from the Go Green Club and the St. Anthony Village Green Team, tended the fire for the Statewide Star Party, taught kitemaking with the Minnesota Kite Society at Winter Play Day, and more.

Volunteering with STAC also helps you build skills and gain experiences that look good on job resumes and college applications. I was a 2020 Distinguished Volunteer Service Award recipient. I appreciate the opportunity to volunteer at Silverwood with the other teens and am grateful for the guidance from Seth, Sam, and Bailey.

STAC applications can be found online at https://tinyurl.com/wgcjpdp and will be accepted until May 1, 2022.

Silverwood Park Teen Arts Council (STAC)

The Silverwood Teen Arts Council (STAC) is a program that offers youth an opportunity to foster leadership, personal growth, artistic vision, and environmental consciousness through volunteerism, group art activities and program planning and participation. This program provides an opportunity for youth to experience assisting artists and naturalists and receive hands-on training in art and nature education. The goal is to increase the youth leaders’ exposure and access to multiple art mediums, points of view, ecosystems, experience in nature, comfort in the outdoors, commitment to stewardship of local resources, and broader engagement with the art world and natural world.

All members of the STAC are asked to volunteer a total of 30 hours over one year at Silverwood. Volunteer activities can range from assisting with seed collection and sorting in the fall to helping with large family programs and events, such as Field Trip or the monthly puppet shows and art-making activities called the Puppet Adventures of Ned the Naturalist. Additionally, Arts Council Members are asked to commit to a monthly meeting on the second Thursday of each month from 4 PM–6 PM to plan Teen Nights and decide what they would like to do as a group. Council members can miss no more than 3 of the monthly meetings. If they miss three meetings, they may continue to show up to the meetings but will no longer be able to have a deciding vote on what the council does. You will also be asked to reassess your commitment to STAC after 3 absences. These meetings are required and count toward the 30 hours of volunteer service. While fulfilling this volunteer requirement, we ask that cell phones be used for emergency purposes only. During volunteer hours, we ask that youth maintain a professional and positive attitude as they will be representing Silverwood and the Park District.

The MISSION of STAC is to provide opportunities for teens to educate themselves and the general public about the environment through art, recreation, and education by engaging with, planning, and leading these various opportunities. As such, it is important that any STAC program incorporate some element of art and some element of the outdoors.

Teen Arts Council Members Designed for youth ages 13–19. In addition to the regular responsibilities that are part of this program, youth will work as a group to determine what art and nature activities will happen at seasonal teen nights at Silverwood. This means that STAC members will meet at least 2 times as a group prior to a teen night to decide what will happen at the teen night and assist with the night of the event.

Goals of Position

To gain a basic knowledge of art, nature education, and environmental stewardship.
Increase youth’s exposure to their local ecosystem and experiences in the natural world.
To gain confidence, comfort, independence, and pride in work completed.
To apply and grow artistic skills and practice implementing creative solutions.
Hands-on experience in a non-formal educational environment.
To gain leadership skills and learn how to apply them.
To assist Silverwood staff in presenting quality program experiences.
To gain job skills by working as a group to determine what activities happen at seasonal teen nights.

Job tasks and expectations

Assist Silverwood Staff in setup and cleanup while volunteering for programs.
Work with staff in preparing and presenting programs.
Timely, dependable attendance. Arrangements should be made ahead of time, with Silverwood staff for the program or camp.
Demonstrate a positive attitude and enthusiasm toward work, program participants, fellow volunteers, and staff.
Be open-minded to learning how a center for the arts and environment operates.
Willingness to work both independently and with direction during programs.

Participants

The STAC will consist of 12 to 16 participants ages 13-19.

Project Time Commitment

Members of the STAC will commit to 30 hours of volunteer time at Silverwood over the course of one year. Volunteer time may also include meetings to assist with planning the seasonal Teen Nights at Silverwood. Council members can miss no more than 3 of the monthly meetings. If they miss three meetings, they may continue to show up to the meetings but will no longer be able to have a deciding vote on what the council does. You will also be asked to reassess your commitment to STAC after 3 absences. These meetings are required and count toward the 30 hours of volunteer service. After completion of one year of commitment on the STAC, participants will have a meeting/evaluation and determine whether they would like and are ready to continue to serve with more responsibilities on the STAC for the next year.

Benefits

All members of STAC will be able to attend all-district youth volunteer fun days, receive a Three Rivers FUN Pass, receive a certificate of completion for the program, and be able to determine what activities happen at the seasonal Silverwood Teen Nights. Additionally, planning meetings for Teen Nights will include participation in fun art, nature, and outdoor recreation activities.

STAC opportunities will allow for job shadowing of staff or experienced volunteers
Hands-on training in basic art education, naturalist activities, and other related activities
Opportunity for youth to experience working as an assistant to an artist and naturalist
Opportunity to collaborate with a professional artist
Opportunity to strengthen their growth, development, and leadership skills
Develop confidence
Hands-on training in art and nature education
The benefits of volunteering with Three Rivers Park District and the experience of serving their community
Increase youth’s exposure to their local ecosystems and art mediums
Experience nature (spend time outdoors)/Increase health
Become comfortable in the outdoors/Gets you off the couch and OUTDOORS
Increases confidence and school performance
Commitment to stewardship of local resources
Generates greater interest in art, science, and natural resource areas.
Provides an opportunity to meet other students and make new friends. Benefits to Silverwood as a Facility

Benefits to Silverwood as a Facility

Foundation of a core group of continuing young volunteers that are dependable, reliable, and have a sense of ownership of Silverwood Park.
Develop into regular long-term volunteers.
Mentors and fosters future stewards, staff, board members, advocates, benefactors, exhibiting artists, or members of the arts community.
A network of hard-working dedicated youth volunteers to support programming and other park operations and projects.
Strengthens the organization’s relationship with the community. Another service opportunity offered to the community that mentors youth into becoming good stewards of the earth.

(STAC) Application Questions

Applications can be found online at https://tinyurl.com/wgcjpdp

What are your interests and hobbies?
What do you think is an important quality for a leader to have and why?
What future career currently sounds interesting to you and why?
If you could make any type of art (painting, ceramics, performance, sculpture, drawing, animation, etc.) what would it be and why?
Have you been a camp participant/camper? If so, where and what type(s) of camp.
Do you have previous volunteer experience? If so, what did you do and where?
Do you have any experience working with children or older adults? (i.e. babysitting, younger siblings, volunteering at a nursing home, etc.) If you have been part of the STAC before, what are highlights from your experience, and how do you see your role changing in the coming year?
Being part of the Silverwood Teen Arts Council (STAC) means committing to volunteering at least 30 hours at Silverwood over one calendar year. Monthly meetings count toward this volunteer commitment. Do you feel you can fulfill this obligation by assisting with our family events, public programs, large group programs, and/or summer camps?
Part of the responsibilities of the STAC will be to plan teen nights at Silverwood where the committee plans and leads evenings for other teens to engage in activities that combine the arts and the environment in support of Silverwood’s mission. Do you have any ideas for what kinds of activities you would like to have happen at a Silverwood Teen Night? Also, meetings will happen on the second Thursday of each month. Do you see any difficulties in attending at least ¾ of all meetings?
Would you be able to arrange transportation to the park? If transportation is a barrier, please email Seth Eberle at the above email address to see if we can find a way to assist you.

Tiny Turbines Homeschool Drone Racing Team

Seeking Homeschool Teen Pilots

Tiny Turbines is looking for more teen drone pilots interested in tiny whoop drone racing. We are a part of Hydra FPV. We are currently racing virtually via the VelociDrone FPV Racing Simulator app.

Tiny Turbines gets together online to practice on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays in the evening. As the team size increases, we plan to hold weekly team online practice sessions with smaller groups meeting in between. Aurora Pass (she/her/hers) is our team captain. Séamus Blake (they/them/theirs) is our team’s Informational & Technical Organizer.

Youth Drone Sports Championships hosts weekly virtual races with team races starting on Thursday 2 July 2020. Races start at 7pm with pilot check-in at 6:30pm. Races are scheduled to end at 9pm but have gone as late as 10pm due to technical difficulties.

The races are in real-time. They are livestreamed on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch, and have even been on the regional sports network, Fox Sports North.

Communication is via Discord, for both Tiny Turbines and YDSC.

Tiny Turbines is a secular homeschool group. We are serious about inclusivity and welcome everyone regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability or handicap, neurodiversity, economic status, religion, or homeschooling philosophy or style.

To get started:

Aurora and I are available to walk new pilots through set-up for the apps as the linkages between everything can get confusing. We will also teach them how to fly.

1. Ask for an invitation to join the Tiny Turbines Discord server.
2. Purchase a $45 YDSC race pass for Season 3.
  - Be sure you create an account for the Pilot, not for the pilot’s parent.
3. Purchase a license for the £16.99 VelociDrone FPV Racing Simulator app with the £4 Micro Class Quads add-on (about $26 for both). This app runs on Mac OSX (10.11 and up) and Windows (7, 8 and 10 (64 bit only))
  - Pilots will also need a controller. A PS-style game controller works well. An Xbox-style controller is usable. You might be able to use a Switch controller. A dedicated drone controller will be the best but is also more expensive ($50 to $300). I started with a PS4 game controller.
4. Download the free Hydra FPV mobile app (for iOS and Android).
5. Join the YDSC Discord server. (You must first have a Hydra FPV mobile app account linked to your YDSC race pass, your VelociDrone FPV Racing Simulator account, and your Discord account before you can join the YDSC Discord server.)

Parents are welcome to join the Discord servers to stay in the communication loop.

Additional information

Aurora’s dad, Gabe Pass, is also the mentor for the Southwest High School team (where he is also a teacher).

Last season the races were on Saturdays and we anticipate they will be on Saturdays next season (so kids in school don’t have to stay up late on a weeknight). This is a year-round sport with two seasons each year: the school-year season and the summer season.

YDSC is also offering virtual summer camps and the $45 Level 1 camp includes the race pass for Season 3. These virtual camps are a first-time effort.

YDSC started as real-world racing of tiny whoop drones. A tiny whoop drone has 31mm props with a wheelbase of 65mm (motor-to-motor). They weigh about 20 grams.

When COVID-19 meant the cancellation of the real-world races, it was moved over to VelociDrone virtual racing. The VelociDrone FPV Racing Simulator was already in wide use for drone pilot training.

It’s unclear when YDSC will resume real-world racing, but when it does, pilots will want to purchase their own drones. It is possible but very difficult to share drones and part of the experience is building your own drone. Tiny Turbines is looking at fundraising options to help cover these costs.

Real-World Drone Racing Club Costs

- - $2400 per 4-person team to start:
    1. $1000 team fee
    2. $1000 minimum gear bundle ($250/bundle x 4 bundles)
      - $250 gear bundle includes FPV goggles, transmitter set, battery charger, and gear case. You may use other equivalent equipment.
    3. $400 minimum pilot fee ($100/pilot x 4 pilots).
      - $100 pilot fee includes a 1-ounce Hydra Build-and-Race “Tiny Whoop” Micro-FPV Drone Kit (required), drone case, unlimited simulator access, and a custom YDSC team jersey

Seeds of Change Tropical Science Field Research Immersion Program

Order coffee

I am going on a Seeds of Change (SoC) Tropical Science Field Research Immersion Program this summer! This is a 10-day trip, from July 31 to August 9, 2019, into the Rincon Rainforest of north-central Costa Rica.

The Seeds of Change Tropical Science Field Research Immersion Program has been underway for the past 8 years. It’s goal is to immerse high school students into real-world tropical rainforest research. The program is affiliated with the Leaf Cutter ant research being done by Dr. Cameron Currie, a world-famous tropical researcher at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and Dr. Adrian Pinto of the University of Costa Rica. Dr. Pinto is a former student of Dr. Currie who now heads the Research Center for Microscopic Structures at the University of Costa Rica.

Leafcutter ants are known as the ultimate superorganism achieving unbelievable accomplishments beyond the human race. They produce antibiotics to protect their colony that remains effective for 50 million years. Our pharmaceutical industry antibiotics remain effective for only three to five generations before pathogens evolve around them and they become ineffective. These ants have proven to be unusually rich in topics fueling new research initiatives ranging from new drug compounds to biofuels.

My lead teacher and chaperone for this trip is Lauren Borer of Naturally Curious Education, who also teaches at Planet Homeschool, Eastman Nature Center, and Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve.

The trip is amazing but expensive. It’s $3650/student includes airfares, lodging, food, transportation, off-site adventures, airport taxes, and research equipment used and consumed by the students.

SoC has a fundraising program to help students like me fund their trip. I am selling Costa Rica Finca La Anita Dota Mountain Coffee to raise money.

The highest-grown commercial coffee in the world, this coffee is grown at 1500 to 2000 meters (4900 to 6600 feet) on the slopes of the volcano chain extending south from Finca La Anita. It was judged “Best in the World” at the 2001 Specialty Coffee Association trade show in San Francisco. But it’s not just delicious, it also provides a livelihood for 700 families.

Finca La Anita is also where I will be going for this tropical science field research immersion program.

The coffee comes in 300-gram bags (10.6 ounces) in regular roast or dark roast, whole bean or fresh ground and sells for $12/bag.

I have created an online ordering form:

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Thank you for helping me get to Costa Rica!

Here is a brief article about a trip: “Bugging out in Costa Rica,” by Amber Kispert-Smith in Woodbury Bulletin.

SoC Intro with Student Perspective (a student’s perspective on the trip):

Credit where credit is due: Almost all this text comes word-for-word from the Seeds of Change (SoC) brochure about this incredible experience.

Educational Value of LARPing

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

Parents may wish to explore the educational and social value of LARPing. Those include but are not limited to:

- Exercise
- Playing Outside
- Friendships
- Social Skills
- Communication Skills
- Problem Solving
- Negotiation Skills
- Strategy
- Creativity
- Imagination
- Story Writing
- World Building
- Character Creation & Character Development
- Blogging
- Costume Design & Costume Construction
- Prop Design & Prop Construction
- Mock weapon foamsmithing

Parents may also be interested in the academic research behind the educational and social value of LARPing:

- “LARPing the Past: Research Report on High-School Edu-LARP,” by Michal Mochocki, pages 132-149 in Wyrd Con Companion Book, edited by Sarah Lynne Bowman (©2014).
- “At This Danish School, LARPing Is the Future of Education: It’s Education Through Live-Action RPGs, and It’s Spreading,” by Mike Pearl on Vice.com (2015 Oct 7).
- “LARPing Saved My Life,” Profiles by Vice, Season 1, Episode 20 (video) (2015 Oct 7).
- “Learning by Playing – LARP As a Teaching Method,” by Myriel Balzer & Julia Kurz on Nordic LARP (2015 Mar 04).
- “Five Hidden Benefits of LARP: Education, Networking, Health, Social Skills, Creative Outlets,” by Anna Sharptony on Keep on the Heathlands (2017 Apr 17 – 2017 May 22).
- Nordic LARP Talks, a series of short, entertaining, thought-provoking and mind-boggling lectures about projects and ideas from the tradition of Nordic LARP.

Dragonwood’s Realm of the Silver Elves

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

A visual tour of Dragonwood’s Realm of the Silver Elves

our map of the Realm of the Silver Elves (click image to see full-size)

the north entrance to the Faraway Leaf Inn

Field of Destiny, where our LARP starts (unless we huddle near the Faraway Leaf Inn to seek shelter from Zephyrus and/or Boreas)

a distorted panoramic view of the Field of Destiny

Council Gathering Area — Council Gathering area at the northwest corner of the Field of Destiny

north entrance to the Somber Footbridge to the Mystical Isle, by Shimmering Alley and near the divide between the West Circling Path and the East Circling Path.

East Circling Path, at its start near the Field of Destiny

West Circling Path near its junction with the Somber Footbridge and Shimmering Alley.

Invisible Mill, which marks the change from the East Circling Path to the North Circling Path

Vagabond Nest, on the North Circling Path between the Invisible Mill and Werewolf Way

a welcoming doorway to the home of one of the smaller Silver Elves on the North Circling Path, near its junction with Werewolf Way

Werewolf Way’s north entrance from North Circling Path

Werewolf Way at its turn and junction with the Stable Shortcut

Stable Shortcut, south entrance as seen from the Garden Stable

Garden Stable, as seen from the Stable Shortcut

Werewolf Way, south entrance from Dire Garden

A distorted panoramic of the Dire Garden

Warhorse Run, east entrance from Dire Garden

Warhorse Run, south entrance from Iron Stables

Silverwood Park’s Rules and Guidelines

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

When playing at Silverwood Park, we may go inside the Visitor Center to use the restrooms, take a break from the weather, eat, play tabletop games, talk and hang out, but we do not LARP inside or on the surrounding patio.

Silverwood has granted us a Special Use Permit that allows Nerf and other foam dart blaster play only inside the Dyers Garden (or as we call it, The Dire Garden).

Silverwood also requests:

- We forgo realistic military and law enforcement costumes.
- We do not bring our mock weapons inside the Visitor Center.
  - This includes boffers, foam dart blasters, and all other toys that could be perceived as weapons.
  - Mock weapons may be stowed in the Cupholder of Doom LARP gear cart, inside your parent’s car, or underneath a bench outside the Visitor Center.
    - Be sure any gear stowed under a bench does not prevent other park visitors from using that bench as a seat.
- We do not play inside the Visitor Center or on its patio.
  - Tabletop games are allowed, of course. They mean active play.
- We remove any masks before entering the Visitor Center.
  - Any other “potentially scary” costume elements should also be removed before entering the Visitor Center.

Be sure to check out the visual tour of Dragonwood’s Realm of the Silver Elves including our annotated map. The group meets on the Field of Destiny (aka Great Lawn). If it’s windy or rainy, the group might huddle in the lee of the Faraway Leaf Inn (Visitor Center) instead (please gather away from the doors — and please do not play on the patio). If the adventurers get too tired or the weather turns too unpleasant, they might go inside the local tavern (aka Silverwood Café) for refreshing beverages, delicious food, and tabletop games.

For more information on Silverwood Park, visit threeriversparks.org/location/silverwood-park.

Lord Maul

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

The main force of chaos in Dragonwood is Lord Maul who is seeking to control the interdimensional portal nexus so that he may use it as the base from which he launches his invasion of the multiverse. Lord Maul seeks wealth and power to ensure his legacy and his infamy and to conquer and control all of the realms of Dragonwood.

Lord Maul sees all uninvited travelers, both intentional and accidental, as threats to his control of his realms and to his larger plan to conquer the multiverse.

Lord Maul himself does not venture from his stronghold. He selects the strongest and most proficient of his minions, recruited from the peoples of his conquered worlds, to lay siege to and destroy any uninvited travelers. This wide-ranging and diverse army means that all adventurers planning to travel to Dragonwood cannot know what awaits them there until the assault begins.

The Realm of Dragonwood

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

Dragonwood is a nexus for interdimensional portals, resulting in a wide range of inhabitants, including dragons (of course), Jedi knights, mercenaries of all sorts, fairies, elves, gnomes, pirates, magicians, Martians and other aliens, demigods, gods, demons, time travelers, and much more. Oh, also the occasional human.

Adventurers are called to Dragonwood for many reasons. Some are forced there by their parents. Others arrive to fight and defeat Lord Maul and win freedom and independence for the multiverse. Still others come seeking to free the deep pure magic of the World Tree, held in captivity by the dreadful Lord Maul’s dark sorcery. And others are just not very good at accurately entering the correct address when using interdimensional portals.

If you perish on a quest in Dragonwood, you will find yourself regenerated at the location of your arrival portal — or the location specified by the day’s Storyteller, or maybe just where you were standing when you died. It all depends.

As an interdimensional portal nexus, Dragonwood is a mishmash of times, places, and worlds. On your travels through Dragonwood, you may encounter a soldier from Earth’s World War II fighting a barbarian from Alpha Centauri armed with weapons from the far future or a Viking longship in the middle of the forest with a Saturn V Command Module crashed into it. Adventurers are thus advised to be prepared for anything.

Adventurers should take note that many Dragonwood portals are one-way — they’ll either let you in or they’ll let you out. Portals also have a nasty habit of shifting about, so don’t expect to arrive where you planned or to find your exit portal where you thought it would be.

There is a creature living in Dragonwood known as the Nexus. If you complete a quest for the Nexus, the Nexus will guide you where you wish to go. The Nexus appears differently to everyone. One hero may see an adorable puppy. Another may see an animated magical potion bottle.

Dragonwood includes the Realm of the Silver Elves, the Realm of the Tony Gnomes, the Realm of the Fire Portals, and more.

Weather Gremlins

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

The “all-weather” LARP will be relocated inside or possibly even canceled for “dangerous weather” — including flooding, hail, thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, downbursts, waterspouts, tropical cyclones, blizzards, snowstorms, ice storms, dust storms, wildfires, and extreme heat or extreme cold.

Weather charms and relocation spells are the responsibility of the LARP’s host for that day and should be cast by 9am on the day of a midday Summer LARP and by 10:30am on the day of an afternoon Spring, Fall, or Winter LARP.

Any location change or cancelation should be announced via our Discord server.

On the Complexity of Weather Scrying

If you ever find yourself in strong disagreement about the host’s weather scrying, you should feel free to post a counter offer. Just say, “We’re going to insert location here instead, does anyone want to join us there?”

If a counter-offer is posted, you should assume the group will split in two.

(So don’t ask, “I’m confused, where is the group going to meet?” Instead, choose which location you prefer and go there. However, it would be a kindness to also say where you are going to give both hosts a sense of who and how many.)