Field Trip Experience is Far Out – Hollis Students Get the Next- Best Thing to a Real Mission in Outer Space

BLOOMINGTON – Bartonville’s Hollis Grade School students took a short trip east on Interstate 74 before blasting off into outer space last week on a simulated mission to rendezvous with a comet and launch a probe.

“Count down to four, three, two, one. . .,” warned a computerized voice in the Prairie Aviation Museum’s Challenger Learning Center.

About 30 seventh- and eighth-graders braced to begin a space mission they had spent six weeks preparing for in school.

Before takeoff, they had a short briefing session with flight director Janet Moore and assistant flight director Kristen Rhodes and then split into two groups. Half worked as astronauts in the space station simulator, while the others worked as support crew in the mission control simulator.

“Mission control, this is space station, we acknowledge. Over,” said 12 year-old communication officer Skyler Lasorsa, replying to orders from her peers manning mission control.

Both rooms were filled with orderly chaos of relaying commands on Post-It notes, translating numeric information and chattering from each group working together to complete the mission.

At one point a flashing red alert beacon sounded an emergency in the space station. The humidity dropped, creating static electricity and the possibility of a fire. Fortunately the students had enough knowledge to remedy the problem and continue with their mission.

“Are we really in space?” Skyler asked Moore with a giggle.

They had diligently prepared for the journey into orbit for six weeks in their classrooms with curriculum provided by the learning center. They learned necessary skills to complete their mission in science, math, even language arts, social studies and gym class.

Before introducing the curriculum, several of the school’s educators attended a professional development workshop where they ran a simulated space mission.

In all, 56 fifth- through eighth-grade Hollis students went to the Challenger Learning Center as part of the school’s year-long space unit. The school’s PTO donated $1,500 for the trip.

Before the mission, each student filled out an application and was interviewed to apply for one of eight jobs, including communication officers, medical technicians, isolation specialists, life support scientists, data officers, navigators, space probe technicians and robotic scientists.

“It was intense, but such a good real-world experience,” said language arts teacher Alisha Bailey.

The morning mission was successfully completed by seventh and eighth grades, while the younger kids visited Illinois State University’s planetarium and the Prairie Aviation Museum. They switched after lunch.

The center strives to develop leadership, communication, problem- solving and critical thinking skills for students through its experience, which boasts state and national support for education standards of improving science, math and technology.

“It’s unbelievable what these kids are learning, and they don’t even know they’re learning,” said chaperone Linda Vernon of Hanna City, the mother of 12-year-old Leann Vernon and 13-year-old Elyse Vernon. “They’re involved. It’s very impressive and a wonderful opportunity for these kids.”

About two hours after takeoff, the students received a hero’s welcome back on earth.

“Everything you learn is preparation for something,” Moore told the kids in a post-mission briefing. “Take your education very seriously, and you will have adventures beyond your wildest dreams.”