I actually got to watch the launch today.
It was just luck. I got up so late, that I was drinking coffee and sat down in front of the TV and there it was. It makes me sad that this is the last launch. The space shuttle has been something that I have always found interesting. I remember when they were taking applications for a teacher to go on the Challenger. I actually got an application and filled it out. But I found out I was pregnant with Paxton, so I didn't send it. The day The Challenger exploded, January 28, 1986, I had to leave school early because Paxton had gotten sick at daycare. I had just gotten home with him and turned on the TV to watch it launch. That was so dreadful.
| Our Wall of Research on the existing Space Shuttles. |
Later, NASA had a contest for classrooms to enter to name the next space shuttle. So I sent off for all the information and got my class involved. The proposed name had to be the name of an ocean vessel that was a ship of exploration and research.
So for the first week the students researched ships and names. A boy named Erik found The Beagle on which Charles Darwin sailed . Of course 4th graders would think The Beagle was a great name. My then, Kennedy- husband, advised me that The Beagle did not sound like a winning name; too much controversy with Darwin and look at what the other Space Shuttles' names sounded like Columbia, Challenger, Discover, and Atlantis. But I loved it because it did sound like a name that the kids chose.
| Our replica of the Space Shuttle and The Beagle |
This was a great project that the kids did themselves and several parents really stepped up and worked hard with the students. The students wrote a skit, played a song on their recorders and sang a rap song with the help of parents and performed them for every class in the school.
I always loved all my students and classes, but this was an exceptional group of students. It goes without saying that NASA did not choose our class's very wonderful and involve project and name a space shuttle The Beagle.
| Our space shuttle crew with Charles Darwin (actually Molly) |
I think a 5th grade class in Mississippi won and the name chosen was The Endeavor. I think the Ex was right on this. I saw the class project that won and it wasn't much--really, but they had the name that the NASA folks liked.
So now the Space Shuttle will ride off into history.