Super Monday Week 13 SY26

SUPER MONDAY

A motivational and informational morning message from Superintendent Willis

Week 13 ~ November 3rd, 2025

Super Monday Message

If you step outside tonight you’ll notice a nearly full moon. While you’re looking you might notice a little chill in the air. It might warm you up a little to think that on the moon’s sunlight side the temperature can get as hot as 250 degrees. The dark side of the moon can get as cold as minus 280 degrees. As you look at the moon, consider that only 24 humans have traveled there and only 12 of them have actually stepped foot on the moon. All of those 24 people traveled to the moon between 1969 and 1972. That’s right, no one has been there for over 50 years.

For week 13, I’ll tell the story of Apollo 13. The Apollo 13 mission was to be the third moon landing mission. The three man mission was commanded by Jim Lovell. Since the landing Niel Armstrong and company the year before, the nation's enthusiasm for space exploration was already starting to wane. The Apollo program had contracted enough rockets to do 10 moon landings and Apollo 20 was in the works (Apollo 17 was the last mission before funding was completely cut).

The few men brave enough to sign up for the Apollo program had difficulty obtaining or affording life insurance for their families. No insurance companies wanted to insure the life of someone intending to travel to the moon. The first three Apollo astronauts all died in the Apollo 1 fire on the launchpad. Such was the risk they were taking.

The Apollo 13 launch was 2 days into a three day trip to the moon when the accident happened. Minutes after they completed a TV broadcast showing viewers at home what they were doing, an oxygen tank exploded. The crew heard a loud bang and then for 1.8 seconds, that must have seemed longer, the power and communication systems went down. NASA is famous for engineering redundancy. When there is such a high cost for failure, they make sure every system has a backup system. As backup systems started the crew was confused. Commander Lovell hoped the noise was a prank by one of the others, then seeing their confused faces they wondered if they had been hit by a meteor.

26 long and confused seconds passed before Jack Swigert spoke the famous words to mission control, “Okay, Houston...we've had a problem here." After acknowledgement by mission control, Commander Lovell repeated the statement. Listening to the recording of the astronauts you don’t hear any level of concern until they see something leaking out of the back of the craft. Then Commander Lovell’s voice betrays only a hint of worry.

Over the next three days the three crewmen were in a fight for their life. The world’s greatest engineering was to be tested. Many people in the NASA organization didn’t sleep for days as they worked around the clock trying to find ways to make sure the craft made it home safely. On the ground in Houston just hours after the accident, the earth bound flight director told reporters in a press conference, “there will be no relaxation at all…until the splash”. The complications of the accident caused the crew to suffer in near total darkness and near freezing temperatures. They also had to find a way to clean out the carbon dioxide. Using duct tape and plastic from the cover of an instructional manual they made a way for the carbon dioxide scrubber on the larger spacecraft to work inside the other module.

Tens of millions of people in the US and more outside watched on television as the command module splashed into the Pacific Ocean. Congress had passed a resolution to go home early and pray, the Pope led a congregation of 10,000 in prayer, hundreds of thousands gathered in India to pray for the safety of the astronauts, even the Soviet Union sent ships to support the rescue effort. A reporter stated that the failed Apollo 13 mission had done more to unify humanity than any successful landing would have. 

 Many inspiring lessons are taught with the Apollo 13 story, but surely the unified caring response is one of the most important. Some universities had engineering students running numbers for important decisions during the three day crisis, but most people couldn’t help in any direct way. The only way they could show that they cared was to humble themselves a little more and speak a little more kindly to those around them. There are many such reasons for us to do the same today. As we take a look at that big moon and realize our size in the vast universe, let’s be unified in our humanity and kind in our speech. Have the best week 13.

Super High Fives

Just a couple of the awesome recent accomplishments that need a big thank you.

• A super high five to the Oscarson Elementary PTO for putting on the annual Halloween Carnival. It had to be a little different this year with construction, but it turned out great and the kids had fun. Super high five to all the Oscarson faculty and staff for turning out to support the event.
• A super high five to high school cross country team for a good season. The teams have a lot of future potential and we’re excited for them. Super high five to the two seniors, Brodee Montague and Kenadi King. Thanks for representing Piute High School and the Piute community.

Other Super Information

• Fall Sports Calendar 2025
• Winter Sports Calendar 2025-2026 - NEW
  • Link to subscribe to PHS Sports Calendar
• 2025-2026 School District Calendar

Super Weekly Schedule