Four Washington migrant students attended the Space Academy at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., this summer. The recipients of the 2007 Migrant Education Program’s Space Academy scholarships are, from left, Adilene Palencia from Prosser, MERO 105; Guillermo Rodriguez from Yakima, MERO 105; Jessica Esparza from Quincy, MERO 171; and Brenda Solis from Mt. Vernon, MERO 189.
Space Academy ‘experience
of lifetime’ for cadets
By Editor Ken Harvey
Participating in this year’s Space Academy at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., was one of the most exciting and life-changing events in the young lives of four migrant students who received full scholarships from Washington’s Migrant Education Program.
Two of them theoretically “died” during space missions, but they enjoyed every minute of their disaster.
Students selected for the program this year were:
Students participating in the astronaut-style training July 14-21 enrolled in one of three tracks: space, aviation or robotics.
In the space track, students learn about Mars and interplanetary travel, and conduct experiments on soil and rocks. In the aviation track, students learn about flight dynamics and wilderness survival, and experience jet fighter simulators. In the robotics track, student teams design and program robots and use them to conduct activities commonly used in space station assignments.
“When I realized I was actually going to Space Academy, I couldn’t believe it. I’ve always liked robotics, mechanical engineering and astronaut training, so I was really excited when I got the great notice,” says Guillermo.
“Space Academy was the best camp I’ve ever gone to! You not only have fun, you learn a lot, too,” he says. “The counselors are really cool, and you make a lot of friends really quick. All day you are really busy, and you never get bored. You have a lot of activities that are great.”
The Space Academy cadets enjoyed many exciting but educational experiences.
“We went on different rides: G-force, which makes you feel four times your weight; and Space Shot, which simulates less weight,” says Jessica. “We went in different simulators: MMU, the 1/6 chair, and one that spun you in different directions for one minute. The MMU simulates how to be unattached to the shuttle and explore space on your own. The 1/6 chair simulates how to walk on the moon.”
“The Space Shot is a high ride in which you sit on a capsule and go up and down really fast. It is the best ride at the camp, and almost everyone rode Space Shot 10 times,” explains Guillermo.
“My other favorite ride was the G-force accelerator. In this ride, you stand up in a big capsule with other people, and it spins around a lot. By spinning that fast, the gravitational force is augmented four times,” he says. “This is why you feel weak by the amount of pressure your body is experiencing. Your seat actually rises!”
“The most exciting events for me were three rides,” says Brenda. “They were Mars Mission, G-force, and Space Shot. The Mars Mission simulated a ride to Mars.”
Other activities included rock climbing, rocket building, paper rocket building, two IMAX movies about space and about the Blue Angels acrobat jet fighter team, Area 51, swimming, football, volleyball, and the opportunity to conduct various experiments.
“One of my favorite activities was B.E.A.M.M.E. In this activity, we did a lot of experiments. My experiment was about how micro-gravity affects the way blood gets to your body,” says Jessica.
Each team also designed a mission patch, with each cadet writing a short essay as to why they chose to attend Space Camp. Jessica’s team won the competition.
“All day and every day at Space Camp was fun,” says Adilene. “We also met one of the last surviving people from Operation Paperclip (the U.S. intelligence project that extracted German rocket scientists from Nazi Germany during the final stages of World War II). I was wowed! I thought, ‘Wow, this man was one of the people who started NASA.’”
The camp culminates with each cadet participating in two simulated missions.
“In the first mission I was INCO/EVA, in charge of reporting the weather conditions,” says Jessica. “In the second mission, I was the commander. I was in charge of making the shuttle land safely. I didn’t do a great job because I drowned the shuttle and we all died.”
Guillermo “died” with Jessica in his second mission, but he enjoyed the experience anyway. “My favorite thing of all was the space missions. You actually perform what’s done on a highly realistic mission in outer space.”
“In our first mission, I was the mission scientist in the Mission Control area. I talked to the guys in the station and helped them with problems or anomalies they had, and I told them how to fix it,” he explains.
It was during Guillermo’s second mission that “disaster” struck.
“I was the pilot. The pilot’s job is to assist the commander and make the things to do in the orbiter happen,” he describes. “We landed in a sort of crazy way, and when we went to the landing site the parachute wouldn’t activate. We went straight to the ocean and drowned, but it was the best mission ever.”
The missions were also among the “most exciting opportunities” for Brenda. “On the first mission I was ‘CAPCOM’ (capsule communicator). The CAPCOM advises and instructs the pilot, commander and mission specialists. On the second mission, I was station commander, who did experiments and solves caution and warning signs,” she explains.
“Missions to me were the best part of Space Camp,” agrees Adilene. “Missions were like a little taste of what astronauts do. I know that I would want to be either a spacecraft communicator or mission specialist if I worked for NASA.”
The students say developing new friendships is also an important part of the experience.
“My teammates were funny and very friendly,” says Jessica.
“I made a lot of friends from all over the world,” adds Adilene.
Overall, the experience was life-changing, and one that the cadets will never forget, they say.
“This trip meant a lot to me,” Jessica says. “I had an awesome experience, and I will never forget all the fun I had while I was at Space Camp. I will never forget all the friends I made and all the things I learned. Now I have an idea about space and about careers related to space, and I like them.”
For Guillermo, it was “one opportunity in a lifetime! I encourage people to try to win the scholarship because this trip is truly amazing.”
“Space Camp was an unforgettable experience,” agrees Brenda. “I got the opportunity to experience some things that I have never done. I had a GREAT time and will never forget this wonderful experience. This will stay with me all my life for me to share with friends and my family.”
“Space Camp is a great environment for everyone, with the perfect amount of both learning and fun. It was like a long dream, the kind of dream that you never want to wake up from,” says Adilene. “Camp was awesome, and I know from the bottom of my heart that Space Camp will be one of my best memories.”
Teacher/chaperone also enjoys academy
Attending the Space Academy for Educators while the migrant students were at their camp was their chaperone, Royal Middle School teacher Jens Jensen, a sixth-grade science and accelerated math teacher.
Jensen brought some NASA training experiences back to his classroom after attending the educators’ academy, which is designed to help bring the scope of space exploration into such classroom experiences as reading, astronomy, geography and science.
“I have always been interested in the space program,” says Jensen. “As a youth, I dreamed of attending Space Camp, but due to my family situation it was not possible. When I saw there was a program for teachers, I jumped at the opportunity. I had been calling the ESD every other day to find out if they had made the selection!”
Close to one-third of the 100-plus students in Jensen’s classes come from migrant families.
“Using the space program as an example of force and motion, energy transformation, or any number of topics should add color and application to the physics concepts in my classes in a way that will key in on student interest,” says Jensen. “Who doesn’t like rockets or the mystery of space? These are engaging topics for all of us.”
Students applying for the Migrant Education Program's Space Academy scholarships must have migrant eligibility. Each must be able to read, write and communicate in English; be enthusiastic and demonstrate a strong interest in math and science; and possess an overall strong academic background.
Eligible 12- to 14-year-old students apply to the Migrant Education Regional Office in the region in which they reside (ESD 105 headquartered in Yakima, ESD 171 headquartered in Wenatchee, or ESD 189 headquartered in Anacortes). The top five applications from each region are presented to a state selection committee representing people from higher education, the math/science industry, Migrant Education Program staff, and communities.
The statewide scholarships have previously been provided to just the top scoring applicant from each of the three MERO regions, but this year the scholarships were increased to four, thanks to a combination of additional state funding and reduced costs for the trip. The fourth scholarship went to Adilene, who had the second highest-scoring submission of all the students in the state but behind Yakima’s Guillermo Rodriguez from the same MERO region.
The scholarships cover all expenses for the selected students and chaperone, including registration, meals, and lodging during their stay at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, as well as a round-trip plane ticket to and from a point near the students’ homes.