Special Programs

In celebration of National Library Week, the Colfax Public Library will host a program to the public on understanding the “Basics of Astronomy” on Thursday April 22 at 7:00 pm. Presenter, David Whiteley, will give a PowerPoint presentation on the fundamentals of Astronomy for the general public. Whiteley, a Hibbing Minnesota native, earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Physics and Mathematics, with an emphasis in education from the University of Minnesota-Duluth , and earned a Masters degree in Physics, with an emphasis in Earth Science, from University of South Dakota. Whiteley taught high school physics and astronomy at Viroqua, while being nominated for and elected as President of the Wisconsin section of the American Association of Physics Teachers. After leaving the Viroqua school district, Whiteley became the planetarium director for the La Crosse school district and taught astronomy at the high school level. Besides his classroom instruction, Whiteley was credited for improving the level of space science at all levels of public education. After retirement in 2000, Whiteley became the Coordinator of Hobbs Observatory in Fall Creek, Wisconsin and is currently serving on the Lake Association Board of Directors, and Red Cedar River Basin water quality project. In November 2002, Whiteley began working on a limited basis with NASA for the purpose of developing further and improved educational programs pointed toward space!