WCS Teachers Travel to Space Camp

Published March 2, 2017

Williamson County Schools is sending its second teacher to space.

Last summer, Mill Creek Middle School science teacher Katie Logan was selected to participate in the Honeywell Educators at Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama, where educators from all across the globe come together for hands-on learning experiences at a teachers-only space camp.

Logan was blown away by her time in the program, so she shared her experience with other WCS science teachers at a training over the summer.

Hoping to follow in Logan’s footsteps, Hillsboro School teacher Nicole Lyke decided to apply for the program this year and found out in January that she will experience the Honeywell Academy this June.

“I was at a training with Katie and she was telling all of us about the program,” Lyke said. “It just sounded like an absolutely great opportunity. I didn’t actually think I would get in, but I did.”

Neither teacher thought they would get in to the program because the academy has graduated 2,575 educators from 55 countries since 2004.

“I was surprised because they take people from all over the world,” Logan said. “My team alone had 14 people, and I think we had eight countries represented.”

The program draws applicants from all over the world because of the unique opportunity it presents to educators.

“It was like grown up space camp,” Logan said. “Simulations, moonwalks; everything was so authentic. We got to do everything through the eyes of a student and a teacher.”

Those lessons allow teachers who go through the program to bring back fun learning experiences for their students.

“The first week of the program we did mission patches so I made my students make mission patches to tell us what their missions were for middle school,” Logan said. I’m also working on getting a lunar lander and rover project going for later this quarter.”

For Lyke, being selected for the program is like a childhood dream come to fruition.

“When I was little I was really into space and astronauts,” Lyke said. “At one point I thought I wanted to be an astronaut, so I’m excited to get to do this.”

Now, thanks to a fellow WCS educator, Lyke will get a chance to participate in lunar missions and moonwalks, meet with real NASA astronauts and even get to bring home her very own space suit to show off to her students.

“I think everyone should apply,” Logan said. “I just know that it was such a game changer for me and it really has inspired me to be a better science teacher.”