Results of MRR Presentation on December 17

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by KenLarsen

On December 17th, I am scheduled to give a 2-hour presentation about model railroading to a bunch of home-schooled kids, ages 7-12...
I want to show that MR’ing is a 3-dimensional art form, MUCH MORE than simply playing with toy trains (nothing against tinplaters and collectors, please understand!).

QUOTE: Originally posted by randybc2003
...
Put out models, (cars, buildings, & industries) the kids can RESPOND to. What is the industry in your area... show LOCAL business, and cars they can respond to...

...Be sure to let us know how this turns out!!!

Well, here's the recap: The presentation [as a whole] was not a failure; it was not a success; it simply WASN'T.

I erected a 'living diorama' in the church activity hall, with one module fully scenicked, another half-scenicked, and the rest with trackwork-only (so I could run LONG trains). I had two video consoles setup, one showing prototype CSX operations and the other a Keller DVD of Monroe Stewart's layout. I was ready and waiting for them at 11:00am on Friday - but none of the intended audience showed up!?!

Apparently when the woman in charge of the home-schoolers' co-op sent out the e-mail announcement, she only told them that a 'model train event' was going to happen on Dec 17th, and to "go to the web site" for details.
Well guess what: the people who got the message never went to the web site as instructed, so they didn't know the TIME! [banghead]

My own family was there. While my wife started trying to phone everybody who had RSVP'd, my kids got restless and begged me to let them start putting on the vehicles and the trees (that was how I had planned to involve all the kids - by making it a 'high-touch' display). So I started running one of the two trains on a continuous loop while I dismantled the first of the two video consoles. At that point a few families from another parish activity walked in. [Apparently the church secretary felt sorry for me going to all that trouble for nothing, so she announced it to others at a Christmas play rehearsal.]

Many more families with kids began flowing in, so my wife suggested I do the presentation to these people. I played the Monroe Stewart video, but nobody paid attention to that - they were only interested in the trains. The kids put on the Woodland Scenics trees [and other kids came along, uprooted them, and planted them elsewhere] and postioned the various Busch and Boley scale vehicles (including the ones from the earlier era that I had in a separate bag).

The visiting kids all appeared to enjoy themselves, so at least my work on the diorama wasn't a total waste of time. But as far as getting out the message to parents - that the MRR hobby is a great artistic/educational/social medium, and that you do NOT have to be a wealthy nerd 'without a life' to enjoy it - that part was unfortunately a resounding FAILURE.[sigh]

[mikebonellisr]

Sorry to hear about the mix-up.It looks like you put a lot of work into it.Look at it as a learning experience,and you'll have a better idea of what has to be followed up on IF you were to do something like that again.It's appreciated by us that you took the time.....Thanks

[Anonymous]

I am happy you made the effort. I would have loved to be there to see what kind of "forest" you would have ended up with after the junior lumberjacks got thru with it. =)

Videos are ok but children love to be "Doing" not watching. Unless it was perhaps thomas the tank engine or something.. are they still interested in that?

Dont let this bring you down. Get motivatd and have another go at it, perhaps by reaching out to the "DADS" in the church who may like trains then reach down to the children. Or is it children first then to the dads??

We are all pulling for you!

[easyaces]

Well, Ya win some and Ya lose some! Hope the next one communication wise goes well. Looks as though most did not get the message as intended.

[willy6]

Ken,
I got to hand to you, I'm impressed that you made the gallant effort to come through on this project. We need more people in the world like you that takes the the time to show off our hobby, enhance the young people that a hobby out weighs drugs and crime.
"KUDOS"![bow]

[Anonymous]

I don't think this was a failure at all. You researched the info and gained knowledge. I agree this is a lot of work but you took the time and made a tremendous effort to have everything ready. The only failure was on the part of those who were to insure the audience was there and certainly NOT you or your work.

As Willy6 says... KUDOS [bow]

[PennsyHoosier]

Ken,

As one who regularly makes presentations to a variety of groups, let me assure you that the event was not a failure. You benefitted from it. So did those who came to see what you had done--even if it was not the exact audience you had in mind.

Here's what you do--learn from it! This might be the first of many of these things. You've gleaned some things from this: 1) make sure that people know the time; 2) kids like to "do" things, not watch, etc. Finish out the list. One thing you'll have to do is adjust your own assumptions to those of your audience. As you do more of this, you'll find that you know what your audience expects--but your audience will also be attracted to what you offer. It takes some time, and most of the work falls on you. But that's okay.

Don't be discouraged. Stay with it.

[Anonymous]

I have to congratulate you on your effort. It was unfortunate that your day took a different look but I'm sure all those who were thee were impressed especially the kids. They areee the most important...
Great Job.

[Anonymous]

Ken:

I hope that it was satisifing for you. We have a Thomas loco that goes with our display and it's been replaced twice. That's all the kids want to see. Every once in a while a dad or mother will ask about the diesels, and the furture model rails will ask about the steam.

It gives us a chance to tell people that we don't just PLAY with trains and many of them walk away with a different idea of model railroading.

Have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY
Bob

[Anonymous]

Thanx for the show of support, everybody who responded.

It's amazing how a good night's sleep - and the passage of time - can improve one's perspective. It occurred to me that, if I hadn't felt this [mostly self-imposed] "pressure" to get this thing ready for the demo, I probably would have NEVER got around to learning how to apply scenery (the kind that doesn't have perfect circles or straight lines);
now I have cleared that hurdle. I also realized I can use the corner dominoes on my permanent layout, which currently is nothing but benchwork.
As the Beatles once sang in days of old, "It's getting better all the time..." [^]

[Anonymous]

Ken,

Go back and do it again. This time you handle the publicity.

Guy