A group of Edmund Rice College students will learn firsthand from an astronaut what it's like to be in space during a five-day camp at NASA.
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The USA excursion is the brainchild of two teachers who want to give Year 10 students the broadest curriculum possible to allow a smooth transition into the every-changing job market.
"Many jobs are being automated so there is a real need for our school to introduce a subject that combines Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to keep pace with the ever changing careers climate," Garry Cajar said, of STEM education.
Mr Cajar, a careers education and mathematics teacher and Frank Sirianni, the school's technology coordinator, devised the idea to add a new dimension to STEM education by creating the USA excursion.
The highlight is the NASA space camp at Cape Canaveral, which includes exclusive access to mission control and launch sites at the Apollo/Saturn V centre.
Students will dine with an astronaut and hear first hand about the experiences of being in space. They will also be guests of an American high school and paired with a student attending classes. Mr Cajar said the excursion to Orlando combines 'education, engineering, history, space exploration and culture including a fun element at Disneyworld and Universal Studios".
Student Toby Schuback said he had always wanted to visit NASA. "Space camp will allow me to visit Mars base 1 and train as a rookie astronaut," he said.
Ayrton Roman said he was excited to learn about the history of space exploration and how it is progressing through the new frontier of space travel.