BY ANETTE DURING, GUEST WRITER TO THE TIMES
LEESBURG – Students of First Trinity Academy experienced a powerful opportunity last Thursday when they attended a NASA class at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex on building Mars Landers for the Artemis spacecraft designed to first go to the moon and then to Mars.
Students and parents enjoyed a full day space exhibition where they saw the actual Atlantis Space Shuttle and a life-size replica of a Saturn V rocket, which took man to the Moon back in 1969.
First Trinity Academy is the newest private school in Leesburg providing an education to students who normally would not be able to attend a private school. Whitney Brutton, who accompanied both her son and daughter, said, “It was an experience for my children I know will inspire them to focus on math and science.”
Parents of all the students went along on the field trip. “This trip accomplished two main goals. It provided an outstanding educational experience; and allowed parents to bond with their children in the educational process,” explained Darryl Reaves, the school’s headmaster.
Kayla Henderson said, “The space center was exciting, fun and educational. My daughter loved it. It was unbelievable. I wish every child could have the same opportunity.”
“Science and Math are the keys to the future and we want our students to have both a theoretical and a hands-on education,” Reaves stated. “Our students were ready for this trip. The NASA instructor was impressed with our students’ questions and knowledge of rockets and space.”
Prior to the trip, each student at First Trinity Academy built and launched their own model rockets. Some of the rockets reached up to 1,600 feet in the air; and parachuted safely back down to earth.
Moza St. Brun’s daughter, who is a 1st grader, said, “When I grow up, I want to go to the moon.” Toni Lopez, whose sons are in the 3rd and 4th grade chimed in, “My sons can’t wait to go back next year.”
Reaves, who has a working relationship with Representative Thad Altman the Chair of the Kennedy Space Center and the Center’s Director Isabel Kennedy (no relation to President John F. Kennedy) said, “We will be going back to the Space Center next year, but the goal now is to send a group of students, along with their parents, to the Space Foundation Summer Program in Colorado Springs, Colorado, next school year.”
