COLONY – Last week, 20 of the 26 children participating in this year’s summer program at Colony’s Educational Complex visited Huntsville’s U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
The trip was chaperoned by volunteers, along with parents and those who are in charge of organizing the summer program. Twenty kids and eight adults traveled in two CARTS buses and split up into two tour groups at the museum.
Leading up to the trip and during the summer program “the children had one hour of education per day and a lot of that dealt with the space program,” explained Patricia Ponder with the Town of Colony. “The children learned what an acronym is and identified several during the classes – NASA, MQF (Mobile Quarantine Facility) – that they got to step into during our guided tour.”
According to Ponder the students interacted with a rocket scientist that worked on the Saturn V rocket.
“The students walked underneath all three stages and got an up-close view of its size and got to see the rocket engines,” Ponder said.
Included in the day at the Space & Rocket Center for the children was an IMAX film recorded by astronauts in space while aboard in the International Space Station.
“I am amazed by everything!" exclaimed 10-year-old Andrew Ashley about the trip.
The trip came near the end of Colony’s summer program, a program that was usually an annual endeavor, but for the previous three years had not been held.
There will be a back-to-school kickoff for the children in Colony before the school year begins.
Although the children were undoubtedly inundated with information during their visit to the high-tech field-trip, sometimes it is the simple things that stick out most.
“I think it is cool that a monkey went to space,” said 7-year-old Maleah Ashley.
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