P. S. duPont Students at SPACE CAMP

 

     

 

On Sunday, July 10, 2016, David Miller, Jason Stewart, and Destiny Hayward-McDaniel met at P.S. duPont Middle School to begin an incredible adventure that would take them flying across the country to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama.  These three students were selected by Fish and Richardson after having completed applications earlier in the 2015-2016 school-year.  Fish and Richardson interviewed six finalists that were chosen out of all of the applicants to then narrow it down to these three winners of an all expenses paid trip to Space Academy which is a Space Camp adventure for middle school aged students.  

  

 

Space Camp is located in Huntsville, Alabama where America's space program was born.  Huntsville is home to the second largest research park in the United States and the forth largest in the world.  Huntsville boomed as Dr. Wernher von Braun and his team of rocket scientists arrived in 1950 to begin the work that ultimately took mankind to the moon.  At the Space Academy, teams get to build and launch their own rockets.

      

While at the Space Academy, David, Jason, and Destiny are experiencing firsthand the future of space travel and are training to solve technically challenging anomalies in order to save their space mission.  They are participating in the ultimate aerospace experience through simulated astronaut training using equipment adapted from NASAs's astronaut program.  

 

   

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the Space Camp cafeteria.  There is plenty to eat to prepare for all of the activities.

   

 

 In Area 51 - Leadership Reaction Course, space campers learn to communicate and to work together regardless of the obstacles that must be faced and overcome.  Team work is key to the success of the group.

   

 At the Astrotrek Building, campers participate in the 1/6th gravity chair, the 5DF chair, the multi axis trainer and the manned maneuvering unit.  Destiny is getting ready for the multi axis trainer and Jason has just finished his training on the multi axis trainer.

      

On Friday, July 15, 2016, David, Jason and Destiny graduated along with over 1,000 other space campers from across the United States and from around the world.  Former astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger spoke at the graduation and officiated the ceremony.  Metcalf-Lindenburger  was selected by NASA as a Mission Specialist in May 2004.  In February 2006, she completed Astronaut Candidate Training, which included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training and water and wilderness survival training.  Completion of this initial training qualified her for technical assignments within the Astronaut Office and future flight assignment.  Metcalf-Lindenburger served as the Astronaut Office Station Branch twig lead for systems and crew interfaces.  In 2010, she was a mission specialist on the crew of STS-131 and logged more than 362 hours in space.  After her space flight, she worked as a Cape Crusader for the final three shuttle missions. She also supported the Astronaut Office Station Operation Branch as a lead for the provisions, manifests, and stowage twig.  Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger inspired all at the Space Camp graduation ceremony.  

          

 Out of all the teams at Space Camp, Jason Stewart's Team Atlas won the Commander's Cup Award

and Destiny's Team Boeing won the Outstanding Team Award.  Congratulations to these two teams! 

 

For more information, go to www.spacecamp.com

 

 

 The sun sets on an amazing week-long adventure at Space Camp!