On Tuesday, January 15th, the eighth grade class took a field trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Students spent the day exploring the vast park learning about the solar system and beyond, the history of N.A.S.A. (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), the future for the Kennedy Space Center, and the surrounding ecosystems.

Students arrived at school at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, excited for what was to come. Buses left at approximately 6:40 a.m., stopping at one rest stop before arriving at Kennedy Space Center at around 9:30 a.m. There were various Mission Zones to look at and experience while students were there.

Bus Tours
Bus tours typically give a lengthier trip. However, due to the government shut down, the bus tours took a shorter route, going straight to the Apollo/Saturn V center. The bus tour offered a short but informative video on some discreet facts of the center, as well as commentary by the bus driver. Once arriving at the Apollo/ Saturn V center, there were a variety of shows offering some insight on history, flashbacks of astronauts, and space travel, with many focusing on the “Apollo era” and the Saturn V rocket. Many other smaller plaques and artifacts can be found throughout this open exhibit.

Heroes and Legends Exhibit
The Heroes and Legends Mission Zone captivates enthusiastic students with the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame by Boeing. Through a short video, it gives the history of astronauts that have shaped modern space travel.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit
Within the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, students were able to view the Atlantis shuttle. Within the building that encases the shuttle, students were able to take part in a simulator known as the Shuttle Launch Experience, as well as other smaller simulators. Students enjoyed racing each other on a slide – among many other experiences – within the Space Shuttle Atlantis Mission Zone. Within this Mission Zone, students checked in with another trip supervisor.

Nature Exhibit
The nature exhibit allowed students to walk around and learn about animals and plants in the area.

IMAX Theater
Within the main area of the park, students were able to view two different movies in the IMAX theater. One, narrated by Jennifer Lawrence, was titled “A Beautiful Planet”, and the second (narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart) was titled “Journey To Space”.

Students dined at the Moon Rock Cafe after checking in with a trip supervisor. The cafe offered various drinks, cold and hot foods, and desserts.

After the day ended, students stopped at a rest stop to buy dinner and snacks before returning to school at 9:30 to be picked by parents.