Happy Antarctica Day!
    Happy Antarctica Day! (That is a tardigrade in his left arm.)
    I hope you had a great Antarctica Day. We sure did in our class. We did some fun Antarctic activities.

    December 1st is Antarctica Day. It is in celebration of the Antarctic Treaty that was signed in 1959 by the many of the worlds countries. It was agreed then that no country would own Antarctica. Antarctica would not be used for any military action or any mining of its resources. It would be used for science and all countries would share their discoveries. Let's just hope that the world continues to honor this treaty so the one last place on the Earth, unaffected by mankind, will continue to be cared for.

    We started off class by judging the entries in our beanie contest.

    Beanie contest
    Beanie contest competitor.

    Antarctic beanie
    Another awesome Antarctic beanie.

    After the beanie contest, we read Mike Penn's Antarctic journals, which are very great to read, and students sent some questions and comments to Mike. He is currently in Antarctica traveling from weather station to weather station doing necessary maintenance. His expedition can be found here.

    Mike Penn
    We read Mike Penn's Antarctic journals and sent him questions and thoughts about his science.

    We then had a competition where winners would receive an all expense paid trip to Antarctica. It was an origami penguin beauty contest. Yes, you guessed it...the winners were the penguins and they will be traveling with me to the ice. Here are the winners who will be traveling to Antarctica:

    Origami Penguins
    The winners of the Penguin Beauty Contest.

    Happy Antarctica Day
    From all of us to all of you...Happy Antarctica Day!

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    Comments

    mkhall

    Kevin,
    I loved this post. Very delightful to read. I wish you well in Antarctica!

    Mike Penn

    Kevin, What a great way to recognize Antarctica day! I especially like the "all expense paid trip to Antarctica" that the winners received! It won't be long for you now! What are you looking forward to for your expedition?

    Kevin Dickerson

    So much to look forward to. I'd say I am looking forward to everything starting with the flight to New Zealand and the short visit there, the miserable 8-hr flight in the LC-130 to the ice, witnessing the McMurdo culture and people, heli flights out to the Dry Valleys and camping there in the high winds, doing professional science, meeting Mr. Frosty, and my weekly 2-minute warm shower.