That's pretty cool. Yesterday I printed a few letters that I plan to take out tomorrow, targeting parks and libraries about hosting activities for Global Astronomy Month 2011 (April). I never thought about schools, but I think it would be tougher to get them to go along (for student safety). With really no credentials other than owning a couple of telescopes, I'd be surprised if I get even one organization to play along next month, but like you, I'd like to be more organized in my outreach. I'll still settle for sidewalk stuff, but what I really want to do is have a maybe a 45 minute talk, with PowerPoint, about what we're going to see. Getting somebody walking by to stop for two minutes to have a look through a telescope is cool, but it's tough to make a real connection when somebody is eager to be on their way again.

Also, I know dark skies are nice, but how many times have Chicago Astronomers shown that they aren't absolutely necessary to share the sky? I thought your neighborhood star party was one of the best star parties I was at last year. The kids wanted to see things they'd never seen before, and it didn't matter to them that better conditions or being way out in the boonies is better for observational astronomy. They just wanted to see SOMETHING.

Calumet Astronomical Society has a Youth Astronomy Camp every summer through the Lake County (IN) parks system, and claims to have programs available for schools, but I haven't been around long enough to know how successful those programs are, particularly the schools.

I know I haven't seen much of the universe yet, and maybe never will, but I feel like I have the talent to share astronomy with a wide audience, and haven't really found the right outlet to make it happen.

Not having all the answers can be a good thing. One, you don't look like an obnoxious know-it-all; and two, it gives motivation for others to find out for themselves if they truly want the answer.

With CAS, I don't want to reinvent the wheel so much as push them to do more outreach. They have just one weekend for middle school age kids, and one weekend a month from March to November have open houses at the club observatory. I'd like to get some of the willing members out of their comfort zones, and reach people on their terms. Trying to have a conversation with somebody in the dark outside the observatory isn't the greatest way to make a connection, me thinks.

Patrick, im sure I could swing a day or two. Let me know more details when you can