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George Nettels students experience 'life in space'

GREENBUSH - Houston, we have fifth-graders in space.

Well, not exactly.

But students from Linda Runyan's fifth-grade class at George Nettels Elementary School in Pittsburg were excited about space after their trip to the Mobile Space Station at Greenbush-Southeast Kansas Education Service Center on Tuesday.

Students got to participate as part of one of six teams during the day as part of an exercise that simulated a real space mission. The teams were further broken up into ground and flight elements.

Students participated on one team in the morning session, then rotated in the afternoon, getting the opportunity to work with both the ground and flight elements.

The mobile space station has been around since 1999, and Runyan's class has taken part every year except one.

"It's beyond text-book learning," she said. "It allows the children to have an opportunity to perform experiments that would be similar to the types of activities that might be done on an actual space station."

The students were informed of the different stations prior to their visit to Greenbush, but it wasn't necessarily to get the station of their choice.

"Actually, they apply," Runyan said. "They fill out a resumé, list the strengths they think they have - like commander, which would be leadership skills. We check their references."

Tuesday's visit was the culmination of a lot of work for the students.

"They've been building rockets and stuff back in the classroom and they've done some research to get ready for their jobs here," said Melody Knopp, space station coordinator.

Jobs at the space station ranged from testing air quality to space walks and repairing a satellite.

"It all depends on the team that they've been assigned," Knopp said.

"(I learned) how to make a spacesuit sleeve," said student Tanner Ellis, a member of the astrophysics team.

Runyan said that the space station helps the students have a better understanding of what astronauts really do.

"It gives them a greater appreciation of just how important the space program is to our country," she said.

Along with the hands-on learning, Runyan said the visit to Greenbush teaches the students about real-word workplace situations.

"They have to be rely on each other, so that communication aspect is a good thing to have," she said.

The Morning Sun, (www.morningsun.net) February 22, 2006