Professor takes students to Kennedy Space Center
Group travels to see shuttle launch
Nanci Velez
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: News
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Students from Buchanan Elementary witnessed the launch of NASA's newest international space station node, which they named themselves. They also took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kennedy Space Center and the launchpad, and spoke to NASA astronauts.
In fall 2006, NASA announced its intentions to hold a contest for elementary and middle school students to let them name its newest space node, which will be attached to the international space station.
Craig Harvey, University assistant professor of construction management and industrial engineering, who has worked as a consultant for NASA for two summers, contacted teachers at two local schools, Buchanan Elementary and Glasgow Middle School.
"Having been involved with NASA, I just thought it would be a great chance to get kids involved in the science side of it," he said.
Two third-grade teachers at Buchanan, Sue Wilson and Frances Brady, contacted Harvey and said their children would be interested in the project.
"I'm open for anything when it comes to the students," Brady said.
The children worked with five other schools in the state and were required to build a model of the international space station and write an essay explaining their suggested name - Harmony.
"They had to use their writing skills, science skills, art skills, photography skills," Brady said. "So it was a great experience for them."
When the winning name was announced in April, NASA invited the students to Kennedy Space Center in Florida to witness the launch of the node with the shuttle Discovery.
Harvey said the students sold raffle tickets and contacted companies to sponsor their trip but fell short of their $20,000 goal.
Harvey contacted Chancellor Sean O'Keefe, who helped them fund the trip by calling contacts at various organizations to sponsor them.
More than 20 organizations donated money for the trip, including the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, ERA Stirling Properties and Louisiana Machinery, Brady said.
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