FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Engineers and an astronaut had the chance to educate Broward County students.
It was “Space Day” at Rock Island Elementary School, Friday.
Students learned about the final frontier from employees at Blue Origin and heard from an actual astronaut.
“We’re so excited to come down here and share our story about our launch to space with all these kids. They’re future astronauts and future space kids,” said Sharon Hagle, founder of Spacekids Global.
Hagle was aboard a Blue Origin flight in March.
Students asked her and Blue Origin employees about space exploration and beyond.
“How do stars come to space?” asked a student.
“How do you build rockets?” asked another student.
“How long does it take to go to space?” said a third student
One Blue Origin test engineer was a former South Florida student.
“I am a proud graduate of Broward County Public Schools,” said Thais Lage.
Students also made postcards, which will fly to space aboard a future Blue Origin flight.
The postcards will return to earth as a space souvenir for the kids.
“I’m making a postcard with my sister running around, playing, we’re having a park there,” said Nephtalie Civil.
“I have planets and people, buildings and the school,” said Jayvien Twensey.
Educators said they hope today’s event will inspire students to pursue careers in space and STEM.
“We want them to be excited about different careers, different things, and we want to get them ready just for a new chapter, and anything is possible in Broward County,” said Daniel Foganholi, a member of the Broward County School Board.
“To have the experience of an actual astronaut here, it’s amazing, so I foresee many of our scholars, especially our young ladies, looking at STEM as a real career in the future,” said Cormic Priester, the principal of Rock Island Elementary.
The event was streamed live throughout the district, so students in all Broward schools could make their own postcard to space.
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