iWorlds adventure is out of this worldi

MURRAY — Spacing out isn't just for kids anymore.

Adults as well as schoolchildren and teens can now take a voyage into adventure that includes encounters with aliens, brushes with asteroids and near-death experiences with rogue black holes and neutron star radiation.

Participants learn to work together, solve problems and negotiate.

They gain confidence and learn about navigation and science.

Most importantly, they literally have a blast, say the owners of iWorlds Simulations, a new business (in the old Wagonmaster building) inspired by the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center at Central Elementary in Pleasant Grove.

"We've been working on this for a year," said Kirby Glad, one of the owners of iWorlds. "Eventually, we do plan to roll this out nationwide, in the next five years, to 100 cities."

They're off to a good start. Open for a little less than two weeks, iWorlds already has put almost 2,000 youngsters through its simulations.

"We've had so much demand for field trips, we can barely keep up," said Wes Smith, also an owner. "And we're really only about 70 percent renovated."

The building's 30,000 square feet of space has been completely transformed. Where there were stars and wagons, there is now a sleek chrome and blue environment that includes two simulators, classrooms and a hot-air balloon planetarium.

"We'll have six more simulators when we're done," Smith said.

The facility can handle 180 students a day or 30 classes a week, offering simulated space flight, lessons in science and visits to the planetarium.

Throughout, the emphasis is on working together for a successful outcome.

"The field trips are like a play, and generally the students survive. Those in a birthday party or family group have a chance to fail," Glad said.

"It's been great," said Cindy Read-Smith, a sixth-grade teacher from Boulton Elementary who brought her students to iWorlds one recent morning.

"It's hands-on. The kids realize it's a team effort. They have to work together. They went to a planet to rescue the inhabitants and had to recruit help when they didn't have enough room or ships to take everybody. It was a great opportunity to learn. They had medical emergencies. They had to go look up the disease and figure out how to treat it. They had a spy on board."

Kyle Dunshee, 12, was that spy, impressed into the role of saboteur by staff members.

"I knew everyone (in my class) was going to be mad at me, but I kept it a secret and did it anyway," Dunshee said. "I'd make sure there were problems, like I'd go to the person in charge of power and tell them to turn down the power. I tried to get them off-track. It was fun."

Nik Caligiuri was captain and reported that his crew did well.