The Diego Diaries: Schoolin' (dd6 34)
-0-At the meet up
Sunstreaker walked into the great room, skirted the seating down the side aisle and joined everyone on the low platform that formed a sort of stage in front of the vast room. Behind them, Mars disappeared into the distance down below the first floor platform that was seventy feet above the ground on pilons. He turned to the crowd who had hushed when he entered, surprise, delight, recognition, some awe, and a bit of fear informing their expressions.
Ratchet grinned. "This is Autobot Sunstreaker who is a front-line warrior of great experience and tribute, a father of three of the most exceptional children including the first Cybertronian born on Earth, my grandson, Kaon-"
"And mine. They're all mine," Prowl said glancing at Ratchet with a pointed stare. Laughter greeted that as Sunstreaker smirked at Prowl. Prowl shrugged smugly at both of them.
Ratchet continued. "He's also a great artist who had works in the traveling exhibition that we sent to Earth some time back, coaches infant football, is captain of the Primus Cup interplanetary Championship football team, the Kaon Kavaliers, and Vice President of the Autobot City Unified School Board. Last and hardly least, he's my son."
Applause greeted that as Sunstreaker pulsed warmth to Ratchet. He got it back. "Tell them about what the school board does and what you can do for this group who want to ally themselves with us."
Sunstreaker nodded, then looked at the crowd who silenced expectantly. "I belong to the school board and have since the refugees made it necessary for education to happen again. Our little kids needed structure and education so we built the school district from scratch. We run the show world wide and also in the Empire including Cybertron itself. Their requests and needs are sent here to be discussed and met with their assistance so that it can be done swiftly and in an organized manner. Centralizing things is key to doing what we do in so many places and circumstances.
"When we started there were nine kids total to educate. At the last census, we were told we stand on-world at just over 50,000. In a population of over 20,000,000 that might seem tiny and it is. We're regrouping here like we are everywhere else. There are over 100,000,000 children on Cybertron alone that we assist through the board.
"We have the best possible of everything that's needed. Our teachers get whatever they need and want. Our kids are first. Most of us never went to school and had no access so we want the best for our kids. We have the experts, the best in their fields, to make the teaching stuff that the teachers use and anything they need in equipment we have made.
"We have standing committees whose full time job is to create teaching materials and organize experts in every field for the school district and its Mentor program. The greatest historians, mathemeticians, technologists, trainers, sports and arts instructors, master teachers and the like do nothing else but work on this for us.
"They go through the databases and recovered stuff pulling out important things, then work out the material for each skill and educational level. It's passed to our reader group, experts in the field and classroom teachers to go over it for accuracy and to see if it's in a good format for instruction. If it is, its reviewed by us as a formality, then published.
"We have the tech to make sure our kids get the best at all times. All of the books and videos, films, maps and the rest have a capability to be upgraded remotely. Even yours, Jarrod," Sunstreaker said as he glanced over to Jarrod Wilkerson.
"They do. It's mind boggling the greatness of that feature. Nothing goes out of date and we don't have to chuck anything out because the new stuff is coming. It's just upgraded remotely. Our books have embedded videos that play anywhere from a minute or two up to hours to get the material across to the students. It's also alarmed and tamper-proof by the way," Jarrod said pointedly. "We have our own teaching materials through the International School Initiative that assists me and we have that which the School District requires us to have. We teach 16 nationalities and languages in our school but adhere to English as the language of commerce, science and international diplomacy so we can have cohesion. We're associated through the school district as a satellite school … that is, we're part of the district, use their materials, expertise, experts, and facilities while keeping the largest degree of autonomy ourselves.
"We have a school medic come by once every thirty days to check everyone's health and growth and is on call if we need them. We have access to the swimming pools and gym teachers and go there every day to utilize them. Our kids are currently learning how to run to keep their muscles and growth plates active and healthy. They also swim and are learning kayaking. Fencing and archery are next if I remember correctly." He grinned. "I want to be a student in our school. We have access to the expertise of the district through the special education department, speech and physical therapists, art teachers, the Expert Program which brings world famous artists, writers, actors, singers, and other notable individuals to our school to do workshops. They get the greatness handed to them because the school district can ask anyone to come and they will, that's how important education is here."
Sunstreaker nodded. "Whatever the kids need, yours and ours, they get. No matter what it is."
Jarrod laughed. "Did you know that we have an electron microscope in our science department given to us by the district for our kids. Perceptor said to me that he couldn't understand how I could teach science without one. That goes for the telescope that we have here and we also get access to the planetarium, the Sciences Department on field trips which by the way we take everywhere, as well as trips to Tryticon, the sciences station orbiting Saturn. Our kids have been to Saturn.
"Something else before I forget … four of our habitat's students go to the Autobot schools. We have 35 students now with four of them, all toddlers, going to the Sparkling School in Terra. They're also joined there by three from N.E.S.T. and the Family group which is everyone else who lives here in the Family Tower downtown. We also have about a dozen kids going to Youngling Day in Centurion from that group including N.E.S.T dependents. There's a choice here to have your children go to our schools including this one or attend Cybertronian. Some parents want their kids to have an immersive experience and we support that. You have to apply and get screened now. Before, we could ask but now they have it more organized." He didn't tell them that the 'organized' part came with Earth2's appearance.
"So … we just apply? Can we go and see what that might entail?" someone asked.
Jarrod glanced at Sunstreaker who nodded. "Yes. Contact me about it. Our kids also go to the science and education stations set up around the planet on the Trans-World Highway. They put them there to help kids learn about this place."
"Your kids are welcome too and we fly them there. The trip by ground is too long and there's too much they won't get to see in the time frame if they don't get a lift," Sunstreaker said. "Soon, the Performing Arts Center of Mars will be open and running. There will be training for design, acting, writing, singing, dancing, and directing for students there as well as a schedule of performances of all kinds. The stages are both great and small. The schools will have use of them too. Our greatest actors, writers, singers, artists, and dancers will be housed there along with the symphony which was recovered when we retrieved my great grand amma and appa who will be operational directors of everything. They're the genitors of Alor of Iacon, my amma as well." There was pride in Sunstreaker's voice when he said that, something that warmed Ratchet's spark. "They will be part of the visiting artist program too."
"What do we have to do to join this system, Sunstreaker? Does it come with satellite membership?" someone in the audience asked. It would be a man named William Bell who was in charge of the educational program and schools in the facility. Earth2 had two schools housed in a complex of six classrooms, an elementary and an intermediate system.
"Your application was received and we'll hear it at the school board meeting tomorrow night. We stream the broadcast through our file in the Community Bulletin Board and you can watch it there. You can text us questions and I advise it. The meetings fill up fast so I'd suggest you watch here rather than come. We have massive buy in from the public for the schools and the meetings are huge."
"They hold them in the University main auditorium. Up to 7,000 bots attend to maximum for the room with hundreds of thousands watching and texting online," Ratchet said. He noted the surprise on the humans faces with amusement. "We support our kids and teachers. You have no future if you don't. Not one you might want anyway. I have dozens of children in the schools. Tell them about the satellites we have now, Sunny."
Sunstreaker nodded. "We have our system and then we have associated schools in the satellite program. Earth 1 is a satellite school. We have a lot of home school systems here, mostly by the smaller sects and clans who have religious or cultural reasons to do this. Most of them at some point place their kids into the district school system. They want their kids to learn their values and whatever before they go into the public schools. We support them with books, teaching materials, experts, and access to our school facilities.
"Some of the bigger ones belong to us too. Most of these systems were developed in the Diaspora. Mechs and femmes had to educate their kids themselves but they love it here with the great schools and options. The Circle of Light is one of the biggest groups here and they have a system that teaches their values along with educational stuff. The have the Circle of Light Preparatory Academies all around the colony and most of the places you go to get teaching materials and stuff for your kids are their stores. They supply the best of everything and consult with us about it. I'm an art consultant for them and we work on art skills and supplies for everyone including the district.
"The Prep Academy used to go through to adulthood and graduation but they saw how good our schools were so they cut it off from infant to public school-ready sparklings. They take babies and give them the basics including their ideas, some religion and old school Cybertronian manners. Then the kids go to their parents who do their part the rest of the day. At some point, they keep the kids full time until they have to go to public school. They have a great system. When they get through that, they go to the public schools full time. You can put your kids into the Academy system full time or you can home school through it. Prowler is a student there," Sunstreaker said glancing at Ratchet who nodded. "My amma and appa's new baby, Scout, just started there. My bond's new uncle, Prima, goes there too. My bond's little nieces, Solus and Sojourner Prime attend too. All of them go there until they're ready for public school.
"Your application will be reviewed, then probably okayed. Your teachers will have to attend orientation classes and then be mentored by Jarrod for a while until you get the system down," Sunstreaker said.
"You'll learn about reporting data like we do for the ongoing studies that Sciences and Earth 1 are doing on-world. I'll teach you about the materials and the rest that come with the association. I want to tell you that everything you touch from books to hardware and programs have tamper-proofing devices built in. Use the stuff, don't try and take it apart or it'll automatically alert and send the cavalry in with swords drawn. Nothing you might learn from some device is worth getting banned forever from this place. I can tell you more later," Jarrod said as William nodded.
"You said there are shared events and holidays. What can you tell us about that?" someone in the group asked. "How does that relate to the schools?"
"We have some of your holidays on the calendar, most of them the biggest and most innocuous. We don't go into the religion part of Christmas Surprise. We kept it with us because of someone doing something nice for our kids when we were on Diego Garcia. That's a children's holiday and we like it. The kids loved the decorations and getting presents so that's the part we keep, the family-oriented part. It's a great holiday and we try to build in family events to promote good strong ties again. We've had a hard time, most of us. Thanksgiving is a good holiday for obvious reasons and the rest are holdovers from Diego and the garrison there. We work it out together. The humans do a lot of partying on these dates and others. They can tell you more," Sunstreaker said.
"What about languages and other Cybertronian aspects here. Some of its banned but what about the rest?" someone asked.
Sunstreaker glanced at Ratchet. He looked at the crowd. "Probably none of you will ever learn nor speak our languages. We have over 2,000 common languages and dialects. That doesn't count the endless others that some know and have developed here and there. We work to have everyone fluent in NeoCybex. That's the language you hear most of the time and if there's writing or signage around, it's probably NeoCybex that you're seeing. Your helmets are designed to translate.
"Broadcasts on IntraCom are translated through your television monitors. You'll have to deal on the rest. As for the other … I'm guessing you're speaking about the Temple and Monastery. They're banned for you. Some humans here can go because they earned the trust and they have the respect. You're new and frankly, some of us aren't happy to think there's going to be thousands of you running around. Some of us don't think that many humans will be trustworthy," Sunstreaker said. He stared at them almost as if daring them to test him. No one did for a moment, then a small woman stood.
"My name is Martha Lowry. I'm a Presbyrterian minister who will be handling the spiritual aspects of those here who seek them. I would like to ask if I could talk to the priests and … monks? … the leadership of the Monastery. I would like to pay my respects as a fellow traveler down a spiritual path to enlightenment. Is that possible?" she asked.
"I'd talk to Olivia Bowers," Ratchet said. "She's the contact person I'd think to ask about such things. She'll ask the priests and Cyclonus for you. Understand. We protect ourselves where it counts and those places count. Olivia Bowers is a member of the Circle of Light and teaches classes about them. You might consider becoming one of her students."
"Thank you," Martha said sitting again.
Sunstreaker glanced at Ratchet. "Anything else?"
"No," Ratchet said with a smile. "Where are you going now?"
"To the Club. I have a poker game going," Sunstreaker said with a grin.
"Motor on then. Thanks, Sunny," Ratchet said.
Sunstreaker nodded, then looked at the silent crowd. Transforming before them to his skates, he sped off the deck, along the side of the room, then jetted out with a roar. It reverberated a moment, then everyone turned to Ratchet. He grinned. "He got that from his father," he said to laughter and applause.
-0-TBC 6-11-17 edited 6-12-17
NOTES:
There are over 7,000 languages and dialects spoken on Earth and one or two go extinct every week. Some have only one or two speakers left. If you have a native language in your country, learn it. It's your legacy. We have so many here I don't even know what to pick. In the school district in Anchorage, they deal with over 189 languages among the children. I love this planet. I love the diversity and the greatness. Have a great upcoming week, my darlings. X0 - me