The Georgia office of SparkPoint Innovations opened in October of 2012 when The Big Canyon Balloon was introduced to the Southeast region for the first time. One year later, Orbit Earth Expo debuted in Georgia and has been a big hit ever since. Rocky and Orb have taught Georgia Standards of Excellence aligned in-school science programs all over the state. Teachers love to have our programs back year after year as introductions, culminations, or Georgia Milestone support.
Georgia’s programs are taught by Matthew Deshong and Carrie Pierson, certified teachers with passions for interactive, authentic learning!
With our huge, patented cold air canyon, we fast forward into the future to see how nature’s forces change our 15 ft tall canyon model. Students debate fast versus slow changes to the earth while they experience weathering, erosion and deposition. They participate to create landforms including a barrier island, a sand dune, and a delta. Forces causing erosion are explored as we pause to compare rocks and minerals – what is the difference? What are types of rocks we know and how are those formed? Inside the canyon, students will discover a fossil record and an oil deposit. What are the fossils telling the explorers about the relative age of these layers? How did the oil form? Is it a renewable or non-renewable natural resource? The answers to these questions and much more will be discovered during out unforgettable, interactive earth science programs for each grade level.
Students journey into space to create and experience the cycles, systems and relationships between the earth, moon and sun using our huge, inflatable Earth model and scale-sized moon. While interacting with the inflatable representations in a darkened gymnasium with a light to represent the sun, students manipulate the models to experience eclipses, seasonal/lunar cycles, creation of winds, day/night cycles, tides, rotation vs revolution, physical characteristics of the earth, moon and sun, gravity, order of the planets, seasons and more! The Orbit Earth Expo Program correlates to the state and grade level science objectives. There are different age-appropriate programs for each grade level.
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Ginny RushingOwner & GA Lead Teacher Ginny was born in North Carolina and raised in Kentucky and Ohio, before returning to North Carolina to attend high school and college. After earning bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and psychology from Meredith College, Ginny taught elementary school in North Carolina and Texas. Ginny ultimately landed in Georgia and began SparkPoint Innovations, the company which brings the Big Canyon Balloon and Orbit Earth Expo in-school science programs to schools in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Minnesota. Ginny is married and lives in Alpharetta, Georgia with her two sons, two stepsons, and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, reading, and eating copious amounts of cheese. |
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Matthew DeshongGA Lead Teacher: Big Canyon Balloon Matthew Deshong is a passionate scientist, teacher, artist, and entertainer. He received his Bachelor of Science at the University of California, San Diego and his Master of Arts in Teaching at Georgia State University. Matthew has vast experience educating and entertaining children of different backgrounds in classrooms, households, auditoriums, and festivals. In his spare time, Matthew likes to spend time outdoors, engaging in artistic pursuits, and relaxing with his two cats, two tortoises, four lizards, and three pythons. |
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Carrie PiersonGA Lead Teacher: Orbit Earth Expo Carrie was born in Burlington, Vermont, raised in Buffalo, NY, and attended college at the University of Dayton in Ohio. She graduated with a dual degree in Special Education and Elementary Education and has ten years of teaching experience in classrooms across the country in California, Colorado, Missouri and Georgia. She has taught a wide variety of ages ranging from the pre-school to high-school level. Carrie currently lives in Johns Creek, GA with her husband, two boys and their dog, Findley. She enjoys spending time on the lake, traveling with her family, discovering new restaurants and listening to live music. |























































































