>> ANNOUNCER: "CHARLOTTESVILLE

INSIDE-OUT" IS MADE POSSIBLE

THANKS IN PART TO ITS PATRONS,

COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE

PEOPLE, PLACES AND QUALITY OF

LIFE THAT UNIQUELY DEFINES

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND ITS

SURROUNDINGS, AND BY VIEWERS

LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> SAMUEL BWISEZE: YOU'RE

YOURSELF AND THAT'S THE BEST

FEELING ABOUT THIS PLACE.

>> EDWARD MURPHY: WHEN YOU LOOK

AT THE SUN IN THE DAYTIME THE

SUN IS 93 MILLION MILES AWAY AND

THAT TRANSLATES INTO EIGHT

MINUTES 20 SECONDS TRAVEL TIME

>> TERRI: FOR WHTJ, I'M TERRI

ALLARD, AND THIS IS

"CHARLOTTESVILLE INSIDE-OUT."

♪♪♪

>> HOW FAR AWAY IS JUPITER?

>> EDWARD MURPHY: SO JUPITER IS

ABOUT FIVE TIMES FURTHER FROM

THE SUN THAN WE ARE.

SO TONIGHT IT'S ABOUT 46 LIGHT

MINUTES AWAY.

AND YEAR AFTER YEAR IT MOVES

ABOUT ONE CONSTELLATION THROUGH

THE SKY AS IT ORBITS AROUND THE

SUN.

SO ONCE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE

SKY IT'S NOT AT ALL HARD TO FIND

THE PLANETS BECAUSE YOU'LL

REMEMBER WHERE THEY WERE LAST

YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE.

>> TERRI: TODAY WE'RE GOING TO

VISIT A CHARLOTTESVILLE GEM FOR

LOVERS OF ASTRONOMY.

HOUSING WHAT WAS ONCE THE

LARGEST TELESCOPE IN THE U.S.

USED TO MEASURE DISTANCES TO

NEARBY STARS, THIS UVA FACILITY

IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANYONE

WHO WANTS TO TAKE A PEEK.

JOIN US AS WE VISIT THE

McCONFORMIC OBSERVATORY.

COME ON!

>> EDWARD MURPHY: A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT THE TELESCOPE THAT YOU'RE

GOING TO LOOK THROUGH TONIGHT.

THE TELESCOPE WAS THE GIFT OF

LEANDER MCCORMICK WHO WAS THE

BROTHER OF CYRUS MCCORMICK.

IT WAS A VERY BIG DEAL WHEN THIS

TELESCOPE CAME TO

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND

STONE BEGAN A RESEARCH PROGRAM

HERE LOOKING AT COMETS,

MEASURING THEIR ORBITS,

MEASURING THE MOONS OF MARS, AND

ALSO LOOKING AT NEBULA.

THE PRIMARY THING THAT MCCORMICK

OBSERVATORY IS FAMOUS FOR STARTS

WITH OUR SECOND DIRECTOR, SAMUEL

ALFRED MITCHELL IN 1914 BEGAN A

PROGRAM HERE TO MEASURE THE

DISTANCES TO NEARBY STARS.

AT THE SPEEDS WE CAN TRAVEL

RIGHT NOW GETTING TO THE NEAREST

STAR IS A 75,000 YEAR JOURNEY.

>> TERRI: ED, WHAT IS YOUR ROLE

HERE AT THE OBSERVATORY?

>> EDWARD: SO I'M THE DIRECTOR

OF THE EDUCATION AND PUBLIC

OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IN

THE ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT.

>> TERRI: AND SO UVA NO LONGER

USES THIS FOR ITS RESEARCH,

RIGHT?

>> EDWARD: THAT'S RIGHT.

SO WE NO LONGER USE MCCORMICK

OBSERVATORY FOR RESEARCH FOR A

COUPLE REASONS.

IT'S A SMALL TELESCOPE BY MODERN

STANDARDS.

THERE'S A LOT OF LIGHT POLLUTION

FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY,

ALBEMARLE COUNTY AND THE

UNIVERSITY ITSELF.

THE TELESCOPE WASN'T REALLY

DESIGNED TO HOLD THE MODERN

DIGITAL RESEARCH CAMERAS THAT

ARE VERY BIG, AND VERY HEAVY.

AND THE WEATHER HER IN

CHARLOTTESVILLE JUST ISN'T VERY

GOOD.

WE DON'T GET AS MANY CLEAR

NIGHTS AS WE DO AT THE MAJOR

OBSERVATORIES IN THE DESERT

SOUTHWEST.

>> TERRI: YEAH, AND SO THE

ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT IS STILL

RUNNING FULL SPEED AHEAD AND

USING ALL HIGH-TECH GEAR AND

EQUIPMENT AND NOW THIS SPACE IS

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

>> EDWARD: THAT'S RIGHT.

WE HAVE ACCESS TO OBSERVATORIES

IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO AND

EVEN ACCESS TO OBSERVATORIES

DOWN IN CHILE FOR DOING OUR

RESEARCH AND SO NOW WE MAKE

MCCORMICK OBSERVATORY AVAILABLE

FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES AND

OUTREACH PURPOSES.

>> TERRI: SO WHEN IS IT OPEN?

>> EDWARD: MCCORMICK OBSERVATORY

IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON THE

FIRST AND THIRD FRIDAYS OF EVERY

MONTH YEAR ROUND.

WE'RE ALSO OPEN TO EDUCATIONAL

GROUPS ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH

FRIDAYS OF EVERY MONTH AND THEY

HAVE TO CALL THE ASTRONOMY

DEPARTMENT TO MAKE ADVANCE

RESERVATIONS.

>> TERRI: BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC

FOR THE FRIDAYS, YOU JUST SHOW

UP.

>> EDWARD: THAT'S RIGHT, IF

IT'S A CLEAR NIGHT, BETWEEN 9:00

AND 11:00 PM YOU CAN JUST SHOW

UP AT ANY TIME NO PRIOR

RESERVATIONS, NO TICKETS

REQUIRED AND THEN YOU CAN LOOK

THROUGH THE TELESCOPES AND IF

IT'S A CLOUDY NIGHT WE HAVE

OTHER PROGRAMS THAT GO ON ON

CLOUDY EVENINGS.

>> GRAD STUDENT: SO TODAY I WILL

BE TALKING ABOUT THE STRUCTURE

OF THE UNIVERSE.

THE UNIVERSE STARTED FROM A BIG

BANG, A BIG EXPLOSION AND MADE

MANY ELEMENTAL PARTICLES AND

AFTER 100 MILLION YEARS THE

FIRST STAR FORMED.

>> TERRI: SO IT TAKES A LITTLE

TIME TO PREPARE THE SPACE, THE

TIME TO PREPARE THE SPACE, THE

DOME, FOR GUESTS.

WALK US THROUGH, WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> EDWARD: SO ON A TYPICAL NIGHT

WHEN IT COMES TIME TO OPEN UP

THE OBSERVATORY THE FIRST THING

THAT I'LL DO WHEN I COME IN IS

OPEN UP THE THREE DOORS THAT ARE

IN THE DOME HERE.

IT'S A BIT OF AN UNUSUAL DESIGN

HERE.

INSTEAD OF ONE LARGE DOOR WE

HAVE THREE SMALLER ONES.

WE OPEN UP ALL THREE DOORS TO

EQUALIZE THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE

AND OUTSIDE THE DOME.

>> TERRI: WHY IS THAT SO

IMPORTANT?

>> EDWARD: IF YOU'VE EVER LOOKED

OUT OVER A PARKING LOT ON A HOT

SUMMER DAY AND YOU'VE SEEN THE

HEAT RISING OFF THE PARKING LOT

YOU'VE NOTICED THAT EVERYTHING

BEHIND IT IS SHIMMERING AND

MOVING AROUND AND WAVING.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE HOT AIR

IS LESS DENSE THAN THE COOLER

AIR AND IT BENDS LIGHT LESS.

THE SAME THING HAPPENS HERE AT

THE OBSERVATORY.

IF YOU WERE TO HEAT THE INSIDE

OF THE DOME IN THE WINTERTIME

WHEN WE OPENED THESE DOORS AS

THE HEAT RUSHED OUT IN FRONT OF

THE TELESCOPE, IT WOULD CAUSE

ALL THE STARS TO LOOK BLURRY AND

DISTORTED.

SO WE HAVE TO KEEP THE INSIDE OF

THE DOME THE SAME TEMPERATURE AS

THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOME.

>> TERRI: OK, SO YOU HAVE THE

WINDOWS OPEN AND THEN WHAT ELSE

HAS TO BE SET UP?

>> EDWARD: THE PRIMARY THING

AFTER THAT IS TO BRING THE

TELESCOPE DOWN TO THE GROUND TO

GET THAT READY.

AND AS WE BRING THE TELESCOPE

DOWN, WE'LL PUT AN EYEPIECE ON

THE BOTTOM.

AN EYEPIECE IS WHAT ALLOWS

PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY LOOK THROUGH

THE TELESCOPE AND SEE OBJECTS.

>> TERRI: IS THAT WHAT YOU USE?

WILL YOU SHOW ME HOW YOU WOULD

BRING IT DOWN?

>> EDWARD: THAT'S RIGHT.

SURE, TO BRING THE TELESCOPE

DOWN, TODAY, BACK IN 1885 THE

TELESCOPE WAS OPERATED WITH

ROPES AND PULLEYS.

IN THE 1960S THEY ADDED ELECTRIC

MOTORS TO IT.

AND SO TODAY WE CAN JUST BRING

THE TELESCOPE DOWN WITH A MOTOR.

[MOTOR NOISE]

>> TERRI: OH, THAT'S GREAT.

>> EDWARD: AND EVEN THOUGH WE

BRING THE TELESCOPE DOWN WITH

MOTORS, WHEN WE'RE POINTING THE

TELESCOPE WE STILL DOING IT BY

HAND.

EVEN THOUGH THE TELESCOPE WEIGHS

A FEW THOUSAND POUNDS YOU CAN

GRAB THE TELESCOPE AND YOU CAN

STILL MOVE IT AND WE STILL POINT

IT BY HAND JUST BY GRABBING IT

AND MOVING IT.

>> TERRI: AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE

IT POSITIONED SO THAT GUESTS

ACTUALLY HAVE TO STAND ON

LADDERS, THESE LADDERS TO PEEK

THROUGH

>> EDWARD: THAT'S RIGHT,

DEPENDING ON THE OBJECT THAT

WE'RE LOOKING AT, IF WE'RE

LOOKING AT AN OBJECT THAT'S VERY

LOW IN THE SKY THEN THE BACK END

OF THE TELESCOPE IS VERY HIGH

OFF THE GROUND.

SO WE HAVE A SMALL LADDER AND A

MUCH LARGER LADDER THAT GUESTS

MIGHT HAVE TO CLIMB ALL THE WAY

UP TO GET A GOOD VIEW THROUGH

THE TELESCOPE.

>> TERRI: HOW DID THEY USE THE

TELESCOPE BACK THEN AND HOW DID

THEY MEASURE THE DISTANCES TO

NEARBY STARS?

>> EDWARD: ASTRONOMERS MEASURE

THE DISTANCES TO NEARBY STARS IN

THE SAME WAY THAT YOU AND I

MEASURE DISTANCES TO THINGS.

WE HAVE BINOCULAR VISION, TWO

EYES ON THE FRONT OF OUR HEADS

BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT MY FINGER

WITH MY RIGHT EYE I SEE IT

AGAINST ONE BACKGROUND AND WITH

MY LEFT EYE I SEE IT AGAINST

ANOTHER BACKGROUND.

AND IF I BLINK MY EYES MY FINGER

APPEARS TO JUMP BACK AND FORTH

NOT BECAUSE MY FINGER IS MOVING

BUT BECAUSE I'M SEEING IT WITH

TWO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

>> TERRI: RIGHT

>> EDWARD: AND THAT'S HOW YOU

AND I JUDGE DISTANCES TO THINGS.

IN ASTRONOMY WE DO IT BY TAKING

ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT THE

EARTH IS ORBITING AROUND THE

SUN.

WHEN THE EARTH IS ON ONE SIDE OF

THE SUN AND WE LOOK AT A NEARBY

STAR IT'S AGAINST THAT

BACKGROUND.

BUT SIX MONTHS LATER WHEN THE

EARTH IS OVER HERE AND WE LOOK

AT THE SAME STAR IT SEEMS TO

HAVE SHIFTED IN THE SKY.

NOT BECAUSE THE STAR HAS SHIFTED

BUT BECAUSE THE EARTH HAS

SHIFTED OVER.

AND THE SIZE OF THAT SHIFT

ALLOWS US TO MEASURE THE

DISTANCE TO THE STAR BUT IT'S

ALSO MOVING THROUGH THE SKY

BECAUSE ALL OF THE STARS ARE

ORBITING AROUND THE MILKY WAY

GALAXY.

SO TYPICALLY WHAT YOU DO IS TAKE

FIVE TO 10 PHOTOGRAPHS OF IT NOW

AND THEN SIX MONTHS LATER YOU

WOULD DO FIVE TO 10 MORE AND

THEN SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT DO IT

AGAIN.

AND SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT.

AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS EVERY

SIX YEARS YOU'D BE PHOTOGRAPHING

A STAR MULTIPLE TIMES.

YOU WOULD END UP WITH HUNDREDS

OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE STAR THAT

NOW HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY

MEASURED.

>> TERRI: AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS

ARE ACTUALLY GLASS PLATES.

>> EDWARD: THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WE TOOK

HERE AT MCCORMICK OBSERVATORY

ARE FIVE BY SEVEN-INCH GLASS

PLATES.

THE REASON WE USE GLASS IS FIRST

OF ALL THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 1914

WHEN THERE WAS ONLY GLASS

PLATES.

BUT IN ADDITION, GLASS IS

DIMENSIONALLY STABLE.

THAT IS, IF WE TAKE AN IMAGE OF

THE STARS AND WE MEASURE IT NOW

AND WE MEASURE IT 20 YEARS FROM

NOW, YOU SHOULD GET THE SAME

RESULTS.

WHEN PLASTIC FILM CAME OUT,

ASTRONOMERS DID NOT ADAPT

PLASTIC FILM VERY OFTEN BECAUSE

PLASTIC FILM CAN BEND AND TWIST.

20 YEARS FROM NOW IF YOU TOOK A

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE STARS AND THE

STARS APPEAR TO MOVE YOU WOULD

WONDER ARE THE STARS MOVING OR

IS IT THE PHOTOGRAPH THAT'S

BENDING AND TWISTING?

>> TERRI: HOW MANY PLATES DO YOU

HAVE IN STORAGE HERE?

>> EDWARD: SO OVER THE YEARS

FROM 1914 UNTIL THE PARALLAX

PROGRAM ENDED WE GATHERED ABOUT

A TOTAL OF 144,000 PLATES HERE

AT MCCORMICK OBSERVATORY.

>> TERRI: AND SO WHAT DO YOU DO

WITH THE PLATES NOW?

>> EDWARD: SO THE PLATES ARE IN

STORAGE IN CASE ANYONE NEEDS TO

USE THEM.

THEY'RE STORED HERE AT MCCORMICK

OBSERVATORY AND WE'RE WORKING

VERY HARD TO PRESERVE THEM FOR

FUTURE GENERATIONS.

I THINK A REALLY INTERESTING

THING ABOUT THESE PLATES IS THIS

FOR EXAMPLE IS A PICTURE OF A

NEARBY STAR TAKEN IN 1969, WE'LL

NEVER BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND

PHOTOGRAPH THAT PART OF THE SKY

IN 1969 AGAIN.

WE CAN PHOTOGRAPH IT TODAY BUT

THAT MIGHT BE THE ONLY RECORD WE

HAVE OF THAT PART OF THE SKY IN

THAT YEAR.

TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH

OF THE UNIVERSE WE'VE EXPLORED,

THE CLOSEST STAR OTHER THAN OUR

SUN IS CALLED ALPHA CENTAURI AND

ALPHA CENTAURI IN LIGHT TRAVEL

TIME IS 4.4 LIGHTYEARS AWAY,

THAT'S 4.4 YEARS TRAVEL TIME.

>> TERRI: DON'T YOU HAVE THE

LARGEST COLLECTION OF MACHINES

THAT MEASURE, MEASURING

MACHINES?

>> EDWARD: WE THINK WE HAVE ONE

OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS OF

MEASURING ENGINES IN THE COUNTRY

STARTING WITH THE EARLIEST ONES

THAT WE GOT HERE IN THE EARLY

PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY AND

THEN EVERY DECADE OR SO THE

ASTRONOMERS WOULD UPGRADE TO A

BETTER MACHINE AS THE TECHNOLOGY

GOT BETTER.

AND FORTUNATELY HERE AT

MCCORMICK OBSERVATORY THEY

DIDN'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY.

SO WE HAVE ALL OF THE OLD

MACHINES IN ADDITION TO THE

MODERN ONE.

>> TERRI: AND YOU EVEN HAVE A

DESK AREA THAT REMAINS

COMPLETELY UNTOUCHED.

IT LOOKS EXACTLY AS IT DID IN

'94 WHEN THE PROGRAM ENDED.

AND NOTHING HAS MOVED.

>> EDWARD: THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SO WHEN THE PARALLAX PROGRAM

WAS GOING ON HERE WE WOULD HAVE

ASTRONOMERS OR TYPICALLY

GRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE LATER

YEARS COMING UP AND TAKING MANY

PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES EVERY NIGHT,

NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, EVERY TIME

THE SKY WAS CLEAR.

AND THEN WE HAD AN ASTRONOMER

DOWN IN THE ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT

WHO MANAGED THAT PROGRAM,

DETERMINED WHICH STARS THE

STUDENTS WOULD OBSERVE THAT

NIGHT.

THEN WHEN THE PLATES WOULD COME

IN, THE PLATES HAD TO BE

DEVELOPED THEY THEN HAD TO BE

GRADED AS TO WHETHER THEY WERE

GOOD OR BAD; WHETHER THEY COULD

BE USED FOR SCIENCE OR NOT AND

THAT WHOLE DESK WHERE THEY DID

ALL OF THAT SORTING AND GRADING

STILL SITS AS IT WAS IN 1994.

>> TERRI: YOU ALSO HAVE ANOTHER

BUILDING, ANOTHER SMALL BUILDING

RIGHT BESIDE THE OBSERVATORY AND

YOU HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL

TELESCOPES.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

>> EDWARD: SO WE CALL IT THE

STUDENT OBSERVATORY OR THE

DOGHOUSE BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE

SNOOPY'S DOGHOUSE WITH THE ROOF

THAT ROLLS OFF.

AND THAT'S BOTH USED IN TRAINING

OUR STUDENTS AND IT'S OPEN ON

PUBLIC NIGHTS.

IN THERE WE HAVE A 14-INCH

MODERN COMPUTER CONTROLLED

TELESCOPE AND WE ALSO HAVE AN

ANTIQUE SIX-INCH TELESCOPE THAT

WAS GIFTED TO THE UNIVERSITY IN

THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

SO ON A CLEAR NIGHT YOU HAVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THROUGH THE

BIG TELESCOPE.

YOU ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO

LOOK THROUGH THE TWO SMALLER

TELESCOPES AND SEE A

PRESENTATION USUALLY BY A

FACULTY MEMBER.

>> TERRI: AND THEN YOU HAVE

MUSEUM SPACES.

YOU HAVE TWO MUSEUM SPACES.

TALK ABOUT THOSE.

>> EDWARD: SO WE HAVE A MUSEUM

SPACE THAT TALKS A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT THIS HISTORY OF THE

OBSERVATORY, IT HAS SOME

ARTIFACTS FROM THE EARLY YEARS

AND IT HAS SOME ARTIFACTS FROM

THE MCCORMICK FAMILY WHO DONATED

THE TELESCOPE TO THE UNIVERSITY.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TWO OTHER

AREAS WITH LIGHT BOXES THAT

HIGHLIGHT THE RESEARCH THAT'S

GOING ON IN THE DEPARTMENT

TODAY.

SO RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE

HAVE A SATURN EXHIBIT THAT'S UP

BECAUSE ONE OF OUR SCIENTISTS

FRAN VERBISCER IS WORKING ON THE

CASSINI MISSION TO SATURN.

SHE'S ONE OF THE PRINCIPLE

SCIENTISTS WORKING ON THAT

MISSION AND SHE GOT US A NUMBER

OF IMAGES THAT WERE TAKEN BY

CASSINI IN ORBIT AROUND SATURN.

>> TERRI: AND THERE IS ONE MORE

THING THAT GOES ON HERE.

YOU HAVE A WEATHER STATION AND

IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY WEATHER

STATIONS IN VIRGINIA, I THINK,

WHERE THE WEATHER IS CHECKED

EVERY DAY?

>> EDWARD: THAT'S RIGHT.

SO WE HAVE A NATIONAL WEATHER

SERVICE WEATHER STATION HERE.

AND I BELIEVE IT'S THE OLDEST

CONTINUALLY OPERATED WEATHER

STATION IN VIRGINIA.

WE HAVE WEATHER RECORDS GOING

BACK TO THE 1880S AND THEY'VE

BEEN MEASURED HERE EVERY DAY.

WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN A

HOUSE UP HERE NEXT TO THE

OBSERVATORY AND EVERY MORNING AT

8:00 HE COMES OVER TO THE

WEATHER STATION AND MANUALLY

READS THE TWO MEASUREMENTS IN

THERE, THE HIGH AND THE LOW FOR

THE DAY BEFORE.

AND ALSO CHECKS THE RAIN GAUGE

AND YOU WILL OFTEN HEAR ON THE

LOCAL NEWS THAT A NEW RECORD WAS

SET IN CHARLOTTESVILLE AND THAT

RECORD IS USUALLY TAKEN HERE AT

MCCORMICK OBSERVATORY.

>> TERRI: OH, THAT'S FANTASTIC.

WELL, ED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> EDWARD: OKAY.

IF I CAN HAVE EVERYONE'S

ATTENTION FOR A SECOND, JUPITER

IS GETTING LOWER AND LOWER ON

US, SO THE BAD NEWS IS WE'RE NOT

GOING TO LOOK AT JUPITER.

THE GOOD NEWS IS SATURN IS

GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER SO I'M

GONNA SWITCH OVER TO SATURN.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS I'M GOING TO

BRING THE TELESCOPE DOWN AND UP

AND I HAVE TO BRING THAT BIG

CHAIR OVER.

SO EVERYBODY IN THE DOME STAND

OVER THERE IN THE EMPTY SPACE

FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN I'M

GOING TO MOVE THE TELESCOPE AS

WELL.

♪♪♪

[RAPPING]

>> TERRI: TODAY WE'RE GOING TO

LEARN ABOUT A HIGH SCHOOL

PROGRAM THAT FUNCTIONS AS A

RECORDING STUDIO AND CREATIVE

HUB WHERE STUDENTS OF ALL

INTERESTS AND BACKGROUNDS WORK

TOGETHER TO CREATE MUSIC AND

ART.

JOIN US AS WE VISIT ALBEMARLE

HIGH SCHOOL'S A3 HOUSE.

COME ON!

[SINGING]

>> CHECK, CHECK.

♪♪♪

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: THE MISSION

HERE AT A3 HOUSE IS TO HELP

STUDENTS IDENTIFY WHO THEY ARE

AND PURSUE THEIR PASSION BY

CREATING A VISION TO SERVE A

PURPOSE.

IN A BROADER SENSE, I THINK THE

VISION IS TO TAKE THIS MODEL AND

SOLIDIFY IT AND MAKE IT A

PERMANENT FIXTURE IN THE SCHOOL

AND ALSO TO PLANT IT IN OTHER

SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY THE STATE

AND ACROSS THE NATION.

AND THAT'S NOT TONGUE IN CHEEK.

I REALLY HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT

WE CAN MAKE THIS A PART OF EVERY

SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S THAT

EFFECTIVE IN HELPING STUDENTS

REACH THEIR PURPOSE AND

IDENTITY.

>> TERRI: AND THEN YOU'VE SPOKEN

IN THE PAST ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE

OF AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE AS PART

OF WHY YOU TEACH THE WAY YOU

TEACH.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: WELL, WHEN

I WAS IN SCHOOL I OFTEN FELT

LIKE THERE WAS NO AUTHENTICITY.

I FELT LIKE EVERY TIME I WAS

GIVEN AN ASSIGNMENT OR A TEST IT

WAS ALWAYS LIKE TRYING TO ALMOST

TRICK ME INTO LEARNING

SOMETHING.

ALMOST LIKE A GIMMICK, LIKE HEY

LET'S THROW SOME HIP HOP ON TOP

OF THIS CHEMISTRY PROJECT.

IT TAKES THE AUTHENTICITY AWAY

BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE CENTERED

ON WHAT THAT INDIVIDUAL STUDENT

IS INTERESTED IN IN ACTUAL

REALITY FOR THEM PERSONALLY AND

NOT TRYING TO USE IT TO GET THEM

TO BUY INTO SOMETHING ELSE;

USING IT TO GET THEM TO BUY INTO

THEMSELVES.

>> TERRI: SO BERNARD, GIVE ME

EXAMPLES ON HOW YOU'RE DOING

THAT IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> BERNARD HANKINS: SO, FOR

INSTANCE, WE CREATED A RECORD

LABEL MODEL WHICH BASICALLY GAVE

EVERY STUDENT A ROLE AND A GOAL

SO ME AND MR. DICKERSON SAT DOWN

AND WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE

STUDENTS AND SAID, OKAY, WHAT

HAVE WE OBSERVED ABOUT SAY FOR

INSTANCE, ANIJA, WHAT IS SHE

INTERESTED IN, WHAT IS SHE

REALLY GOOD AT? AND SO WE SET --

I LIKE TO SAY THAT WE SET THEM

UP FOR SUCCESS, YOU KNOW, WE SAY

OKAY, YOU'RE GOOD AT THIS, YOU

DO THIS A LOT SO WHY DON'T WE

JUST CREATE A PROJECT AROUND

THAT SO WHEN YOU ENGAGE THE

PROJECT YOU FEEL A SENSE OF

CONFIDENCE, SELF-WORTH AND IT

THEY PRETTY MUCH TAILOR-MADE IT

FOR ME AND I FEEL PRETTY GOOD

ABOUT THAT.

SO PART OF IT IS KIND OF FOR OUR

OWN BENEFIT IT'S LIKE HEY IF I

CAN GET THE BALL ROLLING AND YOU

JUST GO I DON'T HAVE TO KEEP

AFTER YOU.

SO CREATE AUTONOMY WITH THESE

STUDENTS BY ALLOWING THEM TO

SELF-ENGAGE.

[SINGING]

>> ANIJA JOHNSON: IT'S JUST ROAM

FREE, DO WHAT YOU WANT, ASK FOR

HELP IF YOU NEED IT AND OTHER

THAN THAT YOU'RE SET FREE AND I

LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S LIKE IT'S

UNIQUE, IT'S NOT LIKE YOUR

NORMAL TAUGHT CLASS.

>> SAMUEL BWISEZE: HAVING A HIP

HOP TOURNAMENT AT MY SCHOOL IS

REALLY AMAZING AND IT'S EXCITING

BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE LIKE THE

FIRST SCHOOL IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

THAT HAS THIS THING GOING ON AND

IT'S JUST REALLY COOL.

>> CHRISTIAN CARRIER: M

FAVORITE PART OF BEING IN THE

CLASS IS PROBABLY MR. DICKERSON.

HE'S A GREAT TEACHER AND YOU

LEARN MORE THAN TECHNOLOGY IN

HERE.

I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM

THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO

WITH TECHNOLOGY.

HE'S LIKE MY ROLE MODEL.

>> TERRI: YOU LIKE TO

COLLABORATE WITHIN GENRES,

WITHIN THE ARTS, AND SO THE

STUDENTS WORK ON PROJECTS ALL

YEAR LONG AND THEY COLLABORATE,

SOMETIMES THEY COLLABORATE

OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOMS, TALK

ABOUT THAT.

>> BERNARD HANKINS: THE GREAT

THING WITH THE RECORD LABEL

MODEL NOW THAT YOU KNOW I HAVE A

GRAPHIC DESIGNER OVER HERE AND A

VIDEOGRAPHER IN THAT CLASS, I

NEED A MUSIC VIDEO.

SO IT CREATED A NATURAL CONTEXT

FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO WORK

TOGETHER BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE

AWARE OF THESE OTHER TALENTS

THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: I ALWAYS

WANTED IT TO BE A PROGRAM THAT

WAS OPEN TO ALL FORMS OF

CREATIVITY -- PAINTING,

PHOTOGRAPHY, MUSIC, DANCE, ANY

CREATIVE ART FORM, IT WAS OPEN

TO THAT ART FORM.

AND THEN WHEN IT BECAME

ACCREDITED CLASSES, THERE WAS

LIKE THIS PRESSURE THAT WAS

APPLIED LIKE, OH, IT'S A CLASS

NOW, IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN

SERIOUSLY.

SO WE HAVE TO CREATE THIS

CURRICULUM SO ITS LIKE YOU LEARN

HOW TO RECORD ON THE MICROPHONE

DAY ONE AND THEN YOU LEARN HOW

TO USE A MIDI CONTROLLER, THEN

YOU LEARN HOW TO APPLY AUDIO

EFFECTS SO LIKE IT HAD THIS LIKE

RIGIDNESS.

BUT THEN IT WAS LIKE WE HAVE SO

MANY DIFFERENT TALENTS, WHY NOT

CREATE A RECORD LABEL BECAUSE

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FAMILIAR

AND I THINK THAT IS THE

STRUCTURE THAT IT NEEDED BUT

THEN YOU STILL COULD HAVE THEM

PURSUE THEIR PERSONAL PASSIONS

AND TALENTS WITHOUT THE RIGID

TEST TAKING AND ASSIGNMENTS AND

ALL THAT TEACHER STUFF.

[RAPPING]

>> TERRI: SO AS THE TEACHERS, AS

THE INSTRUCTORS WHAT ARE YOUR

ROLES AT THE LABEL?

>> BERNARD HANKINS: WELL, WE'RE

NOT TEACHERS, I MEAN --

>> TERRI: BUT WHAT ARE YOU AT

THE LABEL?

>> BERNARD HANKINS: WE ARE

"TEACHERS" BUT I'M THE CHIEF

CREATIVE OFFICER.

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: I'M THE

DIRECTOR OF VISION AND DREAMING.

>> BERNARD HANKINS: AND OUR

OTHER COHORT WAS MR. P, HE WAS

THE PRIMARY INSTIGATOR.

>> TERRI: SAY HIS FULL NAME

THOUGH, SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: TREVOR

PURZESKI.

>> TERRI: THANK YOU.

HE'S ALSO A TEACHER HERE.

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: HE'S BEEN A

TEACHER HERE FOR A WHILE DOING

TV PRODUCTION.

HE WAS AN INSPIRATION TO ME LAST

YEAR BECAUSE I WAS SEEING HOW HE

WAS WORKING WITH HIS FILM KIDS

AND I WAS LIKE OKAY, THERE'S

SOME ADVANTAGE TO, SORT OF

PUTTING KIDS IN A WORK

ENVIRONMENT BUT ALLOWING THEM TO

STILL HAVE FUN AND PLAY.

♪

>> MERCY MUTHEE: THE LABEL IS

LIKE REALLY ENJOYABLE FOR ALL OF

THE STUDENTS BECAUSE WE ALL MOST

OF US WANT RECORD DEALS WHEN WE

GROW UP SO HAVING SOMETHING HERE

IS JUST FEELS GOOD.

>> NATE GIBSON: WE HAVE A LOT OF

COLLABORATION.

LIKE OTHER PEOPLE DON'T KNOW

SOMETHING OTHER PEOPLE COME IN

TO HELP AND THEY LEARN STUFF IN

THE PROCESS.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A FAMILY.

WE ALL COME IN AND COLLAB ON

STUFF, IT'S COOL.

>> DAQUADRE TAYLOR: YEAH I AM

THE FIRST PERSON TO COME TO A3

HOUSE.

I MEAN THAT'S JUST THE WORK I

PUT IN THE EFFORT HOW MUCH I

LOVE MUSIC.

THAT'S WHY I'M THE FIRST ONE TO

COME IN YOU KNOW.

>> TERRI: JUST RECENTLY YOU ALL

HAVE HAD A HUGE SHOWCASE OF

EVERYTHING THAT THE LABEL'S BEEN

WORKING ON AT IX ART PARK.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: I THINK THE

SHOWCASE WORKED OUT THE WAY IT

DID BECAUSE WE HAD SO MUCH

AUTHENTIC BUY-IN FROM THE

MEMBERS OF THE RECORD LABEL.

AND WE HAD TRIED SHOWCASES IN

THE PAST BUT IT WAS MORE OF THIS

TALENT SHOW FORMAT.

BUT WE WANTED TO CREATE THIS

ENVIRONMENT THAT IT WAS MORE OF

A FESTIVAL WHERE YOU COULD MOVE

AROUND AND GO TO DIFFERENT

PLACES AND EXPLORE DIFFERENT ART

AND TOUCH AND MOVE AND HEAR AND

EAT AND EXPERIENCE AND HAVE AN

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE AND ALSO IT

WAS REFLECTIVE OF HOW WE TEACH

THE CLASS BECAUSE THE VISITORS

AT THE SHOWCASE, THEY WERE NOT

REQUIRED TO BE AT ANY ONE PLACE

AT ANY ONE TIME, THEY WEREN'T

REQUIRED TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING.

THEY COULD ROAM FREELY A PURSUE

THEIR INTEREST AS OBSERVERS.

>> BERNARD HANKINS: AND HE SAYS

FESTIVAL -- I FORGOT THIS WAS A

SCHOOL EVENT AND IT MADE ME HAVE

THIS NEW VISION FOR EDUCATION,

LIKE WHY ISN'T EDUCATION

FESTIVE?

WHY ISN'T IT PEOPLE SETTING UP

TABLES, MAKING BEATS AND SHOWING

CRAFTS AND PERFORMING AND YOU'RE

LEARNING THROUGH DOING

>> SAMUEL BWISEZE: A3 HOUSE IS

WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS ALL THE

MUSIC COOKING THIS IS WHERE IT

HAPPENS.

>> CHRISTIAN CARRIER: IT MAKES

SCHOOL FUN.

I GET A GRADE FOR DOING

SOMETHING I LOVE.

AND I DON'T THINK I COULD SEE

MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE.

IT'S SUCH A GOOD FEELING

>> ANTHONY HOANG: WHEN I LEARNED

HOW TO RECORD, HOW TO PRODUCE,

HOW TO MAKE MUSIC I LEARNED THAT

THE CERTAIN STEPS THAT YOU HAVE

TO TAKE ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT

COULD BE TAUGHT THEY'RE

SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE

EXPERIENCED.

NOT EVERY SETTING IS THE SAME

AND EACH SONG IS A NEW LESSON TO

BE LEARNED FROM THE LAST ONE.

>> TERRI: WHEN THE STUDENTS ARE

CREATING IN THE CLASSROOM, WHAT

ARE THE RULES?

YOU KNOW, SO IF YOU'RE DEALING

WITH SONGWRITING, IF YOU'RE

DEALING WITH HIPHOP IS THERE

CENSORSHIP?

NO CENSORSHIP, HOW DO YOU DEAL

WITH THAT WITH TEENAGERS?

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: ALL RIGHT,

SO WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE,

ITS SORT OF OUR CHARTER, ITS

CALLED AMP AND THAT STANDS FOR

AUTHENTIC ARTISTRY,

MEANINGFULNESS AND POLISHED

PRODUCTION.

AND SO WITH AMP STUDENTS ARE

ENCOURAGED TO PRODUCE ART THAT

IS FROM THEM AND IS A TRUE

AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION OF WHO

THEY ARE OR WHERE THEY ARE IN

LIFE.

SO THE IDEA IS NOT TO CENSOR

OR -- I WOULDN'T CALL THEM

RULES, ITS NOT A RULE, LIKE YOU

CAN'T DO THIS, ITS LIKE A

REMINDER TO SAY IF YOU ARE DOING

SOMETHING, IF ARE MAKING SOME

MUSIC OR WRITING SOME POETRY OR

PAINTING, REMEMBER, IS THIS FROM

YOUR IDENTITY, ARE YOU

REPRESENTING YOURSELF OR ARE YOU

REPRESENTING SOMEONE ELSE'S

EXPERIENCE?

AND SO THIS SPACE IS ACTUALLY

DESIGNED TO CREATE A SAFE

ENVIRONMENT TO PUT YOURSELF OUT

THERE.

IT'S ABOUT BUILDING SECURITY AND

YOUR IDENTITY

>> MERCY MUTHEE: SO ALL YEAR

I'VE JUST BEEN TRYING TO AT

LEAST MAKE ONE SONG THAT I LIKE

REALLY ENJOY AND LIKE BECAUSE I

MAKE A LOT OF MUSIC AND IT'S

JUST LIKE, NO.

SO, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING

TO DO AND MAYBE MAKE AN EP SO I

COULD PUT IT OUT ON SOUNDCLOUD.

>> DAQUADRE TAYLOR: WE'RE JUST

MAKING SONGS AND WRITING AND

WORKING HARD EVERY DAY AND

ASKING HIM FOR HELP, MR.

-- MR. H.

HE'S ALWAYS ON ME, SO YEAH, JUST

LEARNING, EVERY DAY.

>> ANIJA JOHNSON: I FEEL LIKE IF

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING HANDS ON I

DON'T REALLY LEARN ANYTHING.

SO NOW I KNOW HOW TO SET UP THE

MICROPHONES WHEN I WANT TO

RECORD.

I KNOW HOW TO SET UP OTHER

PEOPLE'S MICROPHONES WHEN THEY

WANT TO RECORD, SET UP THE

HEADPHONES, SET UP THE ACTUAL

SCREENS AND EVERYTHING.

SO I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO

BE HANDS ON, IF YOU DON'T YOU

DON'T REALLY LEARN MUCH.

>> TERRI: SO WHAT DO WANT

STUDENTS TO TAKE WITH THEM, WHAT

IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL,

THAT THEY TAKE WITH THEM

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND WHEN

THEY GO OFF WITH THEM IN TO THE

BIG WIDE WORLD?

>> CHANCE DICKERSON: NUMBER ONE

THING, GOT THIS FROM BERNARD

HANKINS, IDENTITY.

IF YOU WALK AWAY FROM THIS

PROGRAM WITH IDENTITY THEN I

THINK YOU CAN APPLY THAT, YOU

CAN APPLY THAT UNDERSTANDING OF

YOURSELF TO ALMOST ANY TASK, ANY

CHALLENGE, ANY HURDLE, ANY

VISION, YOU MUST KNOW WHO YOU

ARE AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT

WE'RE DOING WITH KIDS, WE'RE

TRYING TO SHOW THEM, HEY, YOU

ARE AN INDIVIDUAL.

YOU HAVE A VERY UNIQUELY

DESIGNED GIFT THAT YOU CAN USE

TO DO ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING.

>> BERNARD HANKINS: I THINK

CONNECTED TO THAT IDENTITY IS A

SENSE OF SELF WORTH.

YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF SKILLS

DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU DON'T HAVE

THAT WHAT I CALL LIFE

CONFIDENCE.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE DAY TO

DAY CONFIDENCE BUT DO YOU

OVERALL SENSE THAT I CAN DO

SOMETHING IN LIFE?

SO I THINK THAT WHEN PEOPLE JUST

WALK AWAY, HONESTLY IT'S FEELING

LOVED.

LIKE THESE PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT

ME, AND CARED ABOUT ME, FEELING

HUMAN.

FEELING ULTIMATELY HUMAN I THINK

IS WHAT IT IS IF YOU WANT TO SUM

IT UP, FEEL HUMAN.

>> ANIJA JOHNSON: I RUN TO THIS

CLASS LIKE I'M GOING TO CLASS

I'M HAPPY THIS IS MY HAPPY PLACE

THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO BE AT

FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.

>> DEQUADRE TAYLOR: A3 HOUSE IS

AMAZING.

PUT IT THAT WAY, A3 HOUSE IS

AMAZING.

YOU EVEN WANT TO GET UP IN THE

MORNING AT 6:20 AND WALK TO

SCHOOL JUST LIKE ME SO THAT'S

HOW FUN IT IS.

>> ANTHONY HOANG: HIP HOP WAS

MADE FROM JAZZ AND THEN JAZZ WAS

CREATED FROM THE BLUES AND THE

BLUES WAS CREATED FROM AFRICAN

DRUMMING AND SO ON AND SO ON.

AND SO JUST SEEING THE EVOLUTION

OF MUSIC AND REFERENCING THE

PAST IN ORDER TO MAKE THE FUTURE

MUSIC IS AMAZING TO ME.

[SINGING]

♪♪♪

>> TERRI: THAT'S IT FOR THIS

WEEK.

FOR WHTJ, I'M TERRI ALLARD.

JOIN US NEXT TIME ON

"CHARLOTTESVILLE INSIDE-OUT."

♪♪♪

>> ANNOUNCER: "CHARLOTTESVILLE

INSIDE-OUT" IS MADE POSSIBLE

THANKS IN PART TO ITS PATRONS,

COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE

PEOPLE, PLACES AND QUALITY OF

LIFE THAT UNIQUELY DEFINES

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND ITS

SURROUNDINGS, AND BY VIEWERS

LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU

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