Space Night Blasts Off with Chat from Astronaut
H
ow do you get students excited about science? At Asa Low
Intermediate School, you immerse them into the subject using several
fun and interactive activities.
Low Intermediate’s seventh annual Space Night was held on Jan. 29.
When parents and students entered through the doors, they walked into
an outer space experience—literally. Students were taking pictures inside
of a replica space suit, getting up close to a shuttle stack artifact from
NASA, and inspecting real moon rocks under a magnifying glass.
“We want to show them anything is possible,” said science teacher
Patricia Londono who helped coordinate the event. “I personally am
so excited about anything related to space, and I want to pass that
enthusiasm on to our students.”
The special guest of the night was Dr. Don Pettit, a scientist and veteran
NASA astronaut who lived and worked on the International Space
Station. Students had the chance to ask Pettit questions via Skype about
his space travel and what it’s like to be an astronaut.
An Asa Low parent observed the NASA
shuttle stack artifact with his children and
Principal Jason Short.
Students, parents, and staff said the night was a success. Londono hopes the students were able to leave
with a sparked interest in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
Gifts of Love to Our Four-Legged Soldiers
T
hey may be cute and cuddly, but don’t let the fur fool you. Military dogs are an integral part to the
protection of our country.
Students and staff at Anna May Daulton Elementary School helped those four-legged soldiers get the
support they need by raising money and collecting supplies to ship overseas. Through Operation Military
Care K9, the campus sent the military dogs and their handlers items to keep them healthy and protect them
from harsh weather conditions.
“I want the kids to know how important these dogs are to our
military,” said Lynn Kostel, librarian at Daulton who organized
the fundraiser. “These dogs are nobody’s pet, and they’re vital
to the survival of our guys.”
All branches of the armed forces utilize military service dogs
specializing in drug and bomb detection. The canines sniff out
narcotics, search for explosives, and support in other roles.
A Fort Hood soldier showed Daulton students his
dog’s talents.
32 Mansfield School & Family
To kick off the fundraiser, Fort Hood soldiers visited the school
with their canine partners to demonstrate how the dogs are used
in different missions. The kids and adults were excited to see
the dogs as they exhibited their talents.